Legislature(2009 - 2010)SENATE FINANCE 532

03/22/2010 01:30 PM Senate FINANCE


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* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ SB 247 EXTENDING BOARD OF PHARMACY TELECONFERENCED
Heard & Held
+ SB 248 EXTEND BD OF MARITAL & FAMILY THERAPY TELECONFERENCED
Heard & Held
+ SB 262 EXTEND BOARD OF SOCIAL WORK EXAMINERS TELECONFERENCED
Heard & Held
+ SB 263 EXTEND BOARD OF PROFESSIONAL COUNSELORS TELECONFERENCED
Heard & Held
+ Bills Previously Heard/Scheduled TELECONFERENCED
                 SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE                                                                                       
                      March 22, 2010                                                                                            
                         1:35 p.m.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
1:35:00 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CALL TO ORDER                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Stedman called the Senate Finance Committee                                                                            
meeting to order at 1:35 p.m.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
MEMBERS PRESENT                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Senator Lyman Hoffman, Co-Chair                                                                                                 
Senator Bert Stedman, Co-Chair                                                                                                  
Senator Charlie Huggins, Vice-Chair                                                                                             
Senator Johnny Ellis                                                                                                            
Senator Dennis Egan                                                                                                             
Senator Donny Olson                                                                                                             
Senator Joe Thomas                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
MEMBERS ABSENT                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
None                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
ALSO PRESENT                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Tim Benintendi, Staff, Senator Olson; Pat Davidson,                                                                             
Legislative Budget & Audit; Josh Applebee, Staff, Kevin                                                                         
Meyer.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
PRESENT VIA TELECONFERENCE                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Dirk White, Member, Board of Pharmacy.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
SUMMARY                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
SB 247    EXTENDING BOARD OF PHARMACY                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
          SB 247 was HEARD and HELD in Committee for                                                                            
          further consideration.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
SB 248    EXTEND BD OF MARITAL & FAMILY THERAPY                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
          SB 248 was HEARD and HELD in Committee for                                                                            
          further consideration.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
SB 262    EXTEND BOARD OF SOCIAL WORK EXAMINERS                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
          SB 262 was HEARD and HELD in Committee for                                                                            
          further consideration.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
SB 263    EXTEND BOARD OF PROFESSIONAL COUNSELORS                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
          SB 263 was HEARD and HELD in Committee for                                                                            
          further consideration.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
1:35:09 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SENATE BILL NO. 247                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
     "An Act extending the termination date of the Board of                                                                     
     Pharmacy; and providing for an effective date."                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
TIM   BENINTENDI,  STAFF,   SENATOR   OLSON,  reviewed   the                                                                    
legislation.  He noted  that the  Committee Substitute  (CS)                                                                    
for SB 247 would extend  the board of pharmacists until June                                                                    
30, 2018,  conforming to  the recommendation  of Legislative                                                                    
Budget &  Audit. He explained  that the original  version of                                                                    
the bill  had an extension  renewal date of 2015.  The board                                                                    
is composed  of seven members. The  fiscal note accommodates                                                                    
travel  for members  and two  staff for  a minimum  of three                                                                    
meetings  a year.  The audit  recommends  the board  approve                                                                    
collaborative protocols in  accordance with the regulations.                                                                    
The  audit relayed  that board  support from  the department                                                                    
could  be more  substantial.  The  final recommendation  was                                                                    
that the  governor makes more  timely appointments  with the                                                                    
board.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Stedman pointed  out one  fiscal note  showing the                                                                    
cost of $130 thousand for the continuation of the board.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
1:38:30 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
DIRK WHITE, MEMBER, BOARD  OF PHARMACY (via teleconference),                                                                    
discussed the  board's missions. He testified  in support of                                                                    
the  legislation. He  noted that  policies  have changed  to                                                                    
address the audit.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
PAT  DAVIDSON,  LEGISLATIVE  BUDGET &  AUDIT,  testified  in                                                                    
support of  the legislation.  She mentioned  the recommended                                                                    
changes. She  noted that the  board of pharmacy  received an                                                                    
appropriation of $500 thousand.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
1:42:10 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Senator Olson asked  how many licenses have  been revoked or                                                                    
suspended.  Ms. Davidson  reported that  during a  four year                                                                    
period the  board addressed 29  licensing actions,  36 cases                                                                    
closed due  to insufficient evidence, 28  licensees received                                                                    
an  advisement letter  or compliance  letter,  and 19  cases                                                                    
left open.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
SB  247  was  HEARD  and   HELD  in  Committee  for  further                                                                    
consideration.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
SENATE BILL NO. 248                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
     "An Act extending the termination date of the Board of                                                                     
     Marital and Family Therapy; and providing for an                                                                           
     effective date."                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
1:43:13 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Senator Olson discussed  SB 248, which extends  the board of                                                                    
marital and family therapists until  2014. He noted that the                                                                    
auditors recommend an extension of the board.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Ms.  Davidson  recommended  a shorter  extension  date.  The                                                                    
concern  is  that  the board  had  postponed  a  regulations                                                                    
project   because   of   ongoing  financial   issues.   Each                                                                    
professional board must be  financially self sufficient. The                                                                    
fees must cover  the cost of the board, its  travel, and the                                                                    
regulation  projects.  One  of  the  main  advantages  of  a                                                                    
professional board is that they  develop the regulations and                                                                    
keep  the licensing  requirements current  with professional                                                                    
practices.      Recommendations      include      sufficient                                                                    
administrative  support, and  timely  appointments with  the                                                                    
office of the governor.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Stedman   mentioned  one  fiscal  note   from  the                                                                    
Department of  Commerce, Community and  Economic Development                                                                    
showing the cost of continuing  the board at $23 thousand in                                                                    
receipt supported services.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
SB  248  was  HEARD  and   HELD  in  Committee  for  further                                                                    
consideration.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
1:46:37 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SENATE BILL NO. 262                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
     "An Act extending the termination date of the Board of                                                                     
     Social Work Examiners; and providing for an effective                                                                      
     date."                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
1:46:43 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
JOSH   APPLEBEE,   STAFF,   KEVIN   MEYER,   discussed   the                                                                    
legislation, which would extend the  sunset for the board of                                                                    
social work examiners to June  30, 2018. The board of social                                                                    
work   examiners  was   established  for   the  purpose   of                                                                    
controlling and  regulating the practice  of social  work. A                                                                    
licensed  social  worker  applies  established  social  work                                                                    
principles  and methods  to  help  individuals achieve  more                                                                    
adequate  and  satisfying  social adjustments.  It  was  the                                                                    
opinion  of legislative  budget and  audit that  social work                                                                    
examiners  continue to  regulate social  workers. The  board                                                                    
serves the  public interest by promoting  the competence and                                                                    
integrity of  those who  provide services  to the  public as                                                                    
licensed social workers.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Stedman noted a printing  error on the schedules of                                                                    
revenues and  expenditures for the  board. He  mentioned one                                                                    
fiscal note  from the Department of  Commerce, Community and                                                                    
Economic Development.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
Ms. Davidson stated  that there was a printing  error in the                                                                    
provided document and on the  website. She informed that she                                                                    
has  no   recommendations  associated  with   the  financial                                                                    
matters for  the board.  She pointed out  that this  was the                                                                    
only  board that  did  not have  a  recommendation for  more                                                                    
timely  appointments with  the office  of the  governor. She                                                                    
mentioned  the  recommendation for  improved  administrative                                                                    
board support.  She recommended that  the board  be extended                                                                    
until June 30, 2018.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
SB  262  was  HEARD  and   HELD  in  Committee  for  further                                                                    
consideration.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
SENATE BILL NO. 263                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
     "An Act extending the termination date of the Board of                                                                     
     Professional   Counselors;   and   providing   for   an                                                                    
     effective date."                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
1:50:32 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Applebee presented SB 263,  which extends the sunset for                                                                    
the board of  professional counselors to June  30, 2018. The                                                                    
board of  professional counselors was established  under the                                                                    
provisions of  Alaska statute and  consists of  five members                                                                    
appointed  by  the  governor.  The  opinion  of  Legislative                                                                    
Budget & Audit is that  the board of professional counselors                                                                    
continues  to  regulate   professional  counselors  who  are                                                                    
serving the public interest by  promoting the competence and                                                                    
integrity  to those  who provide  service to  the public  as                                                                    
licensed professional counselors.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Stedman  mentioned the fiscal note  from Department                                                                    
of Commerce, Community and  Economic Development showing the                                                                    
cost  of the  board  at $50  thousand  in receipt  supported                                                                    
services.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Ms.  Davidson noted  that the  recommendation  is for  board                                                                    
extension   to   June   30,   2018.   She   mentioned   four                                                                    
recommendations in  the report. The  recommendations include                                                                    
more timely  appointments with the  office of  the governor,                                                                    
increased  administrative support,  and two  issues relating                                                                    
to investigations that  were not done in a  timely manner. A                                                                    
final recommendation  was made  that any  information coming                                                                    
to the  attention of the  licensing examiner related  to any                                                                    
complaint   or  investigation   should  be   forwarded.  The                                                                    
recommendation  was the  result  of a  case of  insufficient                                                                    
communication  between   the  licensee,  examiner   and  the                                                                    
division's investigators.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
SB  263  was  HEARD  and   HELD  in  Committee  for  further                                                                    
consideration.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
1:54:00 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
ADJOURNMENT                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
The meeting was adjourned at 1:54 PM.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                

Document Name Date/Time Subjects
2010 SB 247 sponsor stmt.doc SFIN 3/22/2010 1:30:00 PM
SB 247
SB247CS(L&C)-CED-CBPL-02-25-10.pdf SFIN 3/22/2010 1:30:00 PM
SB 247
SB 247 request packet.PDF SFIN 3/22/2010 1:30:00 PM
SB 247
2010 SB 248 sponsor stmt.doc SFIN 3/22/2010 1:30:00 PM
SB 248
SB248CS(L&C)-CED-CBPL-2-25-10.pdf SFIN 3/22/2010 1:30:00 PM
SB 248
SB 248 request packet.PDF SFIN 3/22/2010 1:30:00 PM
SB 248
SB 262 LBA Audit.pdf SFIN 3/22/2010 1:30:00 PM
SB 262
SB 263 LBA Audit.pdf SFIN 3/22/2010 1:30:00 PM
SB 263
SB 262 Schedule of Revenues and Expenditures.pdf SFIN 3/22/2010 1:30:00 PM
SB 262