03/29/2018 01:30 PM Senate LABOR & COMMERCE

        HB 302-EXTEND: BOARD OF PROFESSIONAL COUNSELORS                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
2:50:24 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR  COSTELLO   reconvened  the   meeting  and   announced  the                                                               
consideration of HB 302.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
2:50:47 PM                                                                                                                    
ASHLEY  STRAUCH, Staff,  Representative Adam  Wool, Alaska  State                                                               
Legislature  Juneau, Alaska,  said  Legislative Audit  recommends                                                               
the  full  eight-year extension  for  the  Board of  Professional                                                               
Counselors.   The  boards    primary  function   is  to   license                                                               
professional  counselors and  issue  supervisor certificates.  It                                                               
oversees   657   professional   counselors  and   73   supervisor                                                               
certificates. Between FY2014 and FY2016  the board issued 190 new                                                               
licenses, which is a 46 percent increase.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
2:51:53 PM                                                                                                                    
KRIS  CURTIS, Legislative  Auditor,  Legislative Audit  Division,                                                               
Alaska  State Legislature,  Juneau,  Alaska,  reviewed the  April                                                               
2017 audit  findings related  to HB  302. She  said the  board is                                                               
serving  the  public's  interest  by  effectively  licensing  and                                                               
regulating  professional   counselors  and   certified  counselor                                                               
supervisors.  The board  monitors licensees  and works  to ensure                                                               
only qualified  individuals practice in Alaska.  Furthermore, the                                                               
board develops and adopts regulations  to improve the profession.                                                               
Legislative  Audit recommends  an  eight-year  extension for  the                                                               
board and had no recommendations.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
MS.  CURTIS  said it's  a  growing  profession. The  schedule  of                                                               
revenues and expenditures on page 6  of the audit shows the board                                                               
had a surplus  of just over $70,000 in March  2017. The board and                                                               
management expect to  decrease fees in FY2018.  All parties agree                                                               
with the extension.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
2:53:34 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR COSTELLO  found no  public testimony on  HB 302  and closed                                                               
it.                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
2:53:50 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  MICCICHE moved  to report  HB 302,  version 30-LS1302\A,                                                               
from  committee  with  individual  recommendations  and  attached                                                               
fiscal note(s).                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
2:54:05 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR  COSTELLO announced  that without  objection, HB  302 moves                                                               
from the Senate Labor and Commerce Standing Committee.