Legislature(2017 - 2018)SENATE FINANCE 532
04/11/2017 01:30 PM Senate FINANCE
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB48 | |
| SB45 | |
| SB78 | |
| SB51 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| + | SB 51 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | SB 83 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
| += | HB 48 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | SB 45 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | SB 78 | TELECONFERENCED | |
SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE
April 11, 2017
1:45 p.m.
1:45:31 PM
CALL TO ORDER
Co-Chair MacKinnon called the Senate Finance Committee
meeting to order at 1:45 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Senator Lyman Hoffman, Co-Chair
Senator Anna MacKinnon, Co-Chair
Senator Click Bishop, Vice-Chair
Senator Mike Dunleavy
Senator Peter Micciche
Senator Donny Olson
Senator Natasha von Imhof
MEMBERS ABSENT
None
ALSO PRESENT
Juli Lucky, Staff, Senator Anna MacKinnon; Juliana Melin,
Staff, Senator Mia Costello; Pete Fellman, Staff, Senator
Click Bishop; Sara Race, Director, Permanent Fund Dividend
Division, Department of Revenue; Shareen Crosby, Staff,
Senator Natasha von Imhof; Kris Curtis, Auditor, Division
of Legislative Audit; Janey Hovenden, Director, Division of
Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing,
Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development;
Dr. Rachel Berngartt, Board of Veterinary Examiners,
Juneau.
PRESENT VIA TELECONFERENCE
Brian Berube, Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium,
Anchorage; Pamela Sanash, Self, Nenana; Lea McKenzie, Self,
Sutton; Romaine Kobilsek, Spay Arkansas, Arkansas.
SUMMARY
SB 45 EXEMPTION: LICENSING OF CONTRACTORS
CSSB 45(FIN) was REPORTED out of committee with a
"do pass" recommendation and with one previously
published zero fiscal note: FN1(CED).
SB 51 EXTEND BOARD OF VETERINARY EXAMINERS
SB 51 was HEARD and HELD in committee for further
consideration.
SB 78 PERM FUND DIVIDEND CONTRIBUTIONS/LOTTERY
SB 78 was HEARD and HELD in committee for further
consideration.
HB 48 ARCHITECTS,ENGINEERS,SURVEYORS: EXTEND Mr. Dale
HB 48 was REPORTED out of committee with a "do
pass" recommendation and with one previously
published fiscal impact note: FN1(CED).
Co-Chair MacKinnon discussed housekeeping. She relayed that
SB 51 related only to the board extension and did not
include changes to the board.
HOUSE BILL NO. 48
"An Act relating to the composition of the State Board
of Registration for Architects, Engineers, and Land
Surveyors; extending the termination date of the State
Board of Registration for Architects, Engineers, and
Land Surveyors; and providing for an effective date."
1:46:34 PM
Co-Chair MacKinnon relayed that the public hearing for HB
48 had been held on April 1, 2017. She related that her
office had received no amendments to the legislation. Staff
to the bill sponsor was available in the audience for
questions.
1:47:31 PM
Vice-Chair Bishop MOVED to report HB 48 out of Committee
with individual recommendations and the accompanying fiscal
note. There being NO OBJECTION, it was so ordered.
HB 48 was REPORTED out of committee with a "do pass"
recommendation and with one previously published fiscal
impact note: FN1(CED).
1:48:29 PM
AT EASE
1:50:05 PM
RECONVENED
SENATE BILL NO. 45
"An Act relating to an exemption from the regulation
of construction contractors."
1:50:10 PM
Co-Chair MacKinnon informed the committee that public
testimony had been taken on SB 45 on April 7, 2017.
Vice-Chair Bishop MOVED to ADOPT proposed committee
substitute for SB 45, Work Draft 30-LS0321\O (Bruce,
4/10/17).
Co-Chair MacKinnon OBJECTED for discussion.
JULI LUCKY, STAFF, SENATOR ANNA MACKINNON, directed
committee attention to Page 3, lines 8 through 11 and
explained changes (copy on file):
Moved the language defining when construction begins
from section 4 (uncodified law) to section 3, so it
will appear in AS 08.18.161 with the rest of the
exemption language.
Ms. Lucky explained that the change would make it easier
for the public to look up, and obey, the law.
1:51:46 PM
JULIANA MELIN, STAFF, SENATOR MIA COSTELLO, expressed the
sponsor's support for the change.
Co-Chair MacKinnon WITHDREW her OBJECTION. There being NO
OBJECTION, it was so ordered.
1:52:45 PM
Vice-Chair Bishop MOVED to report CSSB 45(FIN) out of
Committee with individual recommendations and the
accompanying fiscal note. There being NO OBJECTION, it was
so ordered.
CSSB 45(FIN) was REPORTED out of committee with a "do pass"
recommendation and with one previously published zero
fiscal note: FN1(CED).
1:53:18 PM
AT EASE
1:55:52 PM
RECONVENED
SENATE BILL NO. 78
"An Act creating the education endowment fund and the
dividend lottery fund; authorizing contributions from
the permanent fund dividend to the dividend lottery
fund; relating to transfers from the dividend lottery
fund and the education endowment fund; relating to the
definition of 'gambling'; and providing for an
effective date."
1:55:59 PM
Vice-Chair Bishop MOVED to ADOPT proposed committee
substitute for SB 78, Work Draft 30-LS0534\M (Martin,
4/5/17).
Co-Chair MacKinnon OBJECTED for discussion.
Co-Chair MacKinnon noted that the public hearing on the
bill had been held on April 7, 2017.
1:56:44 PM
PETE FELLMAN, STAFF, SENATOR CLICK BISHOP, shared that
people had been uncomfortable with the word "lottery" being
used in the legislation. He said that the word "raffle" had
been chosen as a replacement because the bill was akin to a
bucket raffle. He stated that throughout the bill the
descriptions for "contributions" and "donations" had been
clarified to indicate that the donations would be used for
a specific purpose. He added that some language had been
changed from "may to "shall" because it would clarify that
the commissioner would use the donations for the programs
that the bill created. He referred to the document,
"Changes Proposed by Finance CS-Version 30-LS0534\M to
CSSB78(EDC) (copy on file):
Proposed Finance CS would change all references from
"lottery" to "raffle" and it will change all
references from 'contributions" to "donations" it also
changes the "may" to "shall"
Bill Title
Page 1, line 1: Delete "lottery" Insert "raffle"
Page 1, line 2: Delete "contributions" Insert
"donations"
Page 1, line 2: Insert "for educational"
Page 1, line 3: Insert "purposes and to enter the
permanent fund dividend raffle"
Page 1, line 3: Delete "lottery fund" Insert "raffle"
Page 1 line 4: Delete "lottery" Insert "raffle"
*Section 1. AS 11.66.280(3) is amended to read.
Page 2 line 19: Delete "drawing" Insert "raffle"
*Section 2. AS 43.23.063. Education endowment fund.
Page 2 line 25: Delete "contributions" Insert
"donations"
Page 3 line 18: Delete "lottery" Insert "raffle"
Page 3 line 19: Delete "contributions" Insert
"donations" Delete "lottery" Insert "raffle"
Page 3 line 20: Delete "lottery" Insert "raffle"
Page 3 line 22: Delete "may" Insert "shall"
Page 3 line 23: Delete "contributions" Insert
"donations"
Page 3 line 24: Delete "may "Insert "shall" Delete
"lottery" insert "raffle"
Page 3 line 28: Delete "lottery" Insert "raffle"
Page 3 line 31: Delete "contributed" Insert "donated"
Page 4 line 4/5 Delete "contributed" Insert "donated
for educational purposes and to enter the
permanent fund dividend raffle"
Page 4 line 5: Delete "contributions" Insert
"donations"
Page 4 line 8: Delete "contributions "Insert
"donations"
Page 4 line 9: Delete "may" Insert "shall"
Page 4 line 10: Insert "shall appropriate"
Page 4 line 11: Delete "lottery" Insert "raffle"
Delete "may" Insert "shall"
Page 4 line 12: Delete "contributions" Insert
"donations"
Page4 line 13: Delete "Nothing in this section created
a dedicated fund"
Page 4 line 15: Delete "lottery" Insert "raffle"
Page 4 line 15, 16: Delete "contribution to the fund"
Insert "donation as provided in (b) of this section"
Page 4 line 17: Delete "drawing" Insert "raffle"
Page 4 line 19, 21, 23, 25: Delete "lottery "Insert
affle"
Page 4 line 26: Insert "Nothing in this section
creates a dedicated fund.
*Section 3. This act takes effect January 1, 2018
1:59:02 PM
Co-Chair MacKinnon asked about Page 4, line 9; and queried
the purpose of changing the word "may" to "shall."
Mr. Fellman explained that the language change was meant to
specify that the money would be used exclusively for
education.
1:59:58 PM
Co-Chair MacKinnon WITHDREW her OBJECTION. There being NO
OBJECTION, it was so ordered.
Senator Micciche wondered whether an individual could
write-off $75 dollars as a donation to the Public Education
Fund and the Education Endowment, while the $25 to the
raffle fund would be non-deductible.
Mr. Fellman answered in the affirmative.
2:00:58 PM
Co-Chair MacKinnon solicited comments from the
administration concerning the legislation.
SARA RACE, DIRECTOR, PERMANENT FUND DIVIDEND DIVISION,
DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE, replied that the fund would work
similarly to the University of Alaska College Savings
Program and would be another available option on the online
permanent fund application.
2:01:29 PM
Senator von Imhof considered the estimated 2 percent
administrative costs and wondered whether the costs could
fluctuate as the raffle became more popular.
Ms. Race stated that the Treasury Division would be
managing the account, while the Permanent Fund Division
would be simply hosting the program through the
application. She said that she could refer the question to
the Treasury Division and have an answer sent back to the
committee.
Senator von Imhof wanted assurances that the administrative
cost would be controlled.
2:03:00 PM
Co-Chair MacKinnon noted that there was a one-time, fixed
expense of $8 thousand. She asked Ms. Race whether there
was anything she would like to highlight in the fiscal
note.
Ms. Race believed that the department could implement the
proposed program online application. She said that the one-
time charge was needed to make the changes necessary to
implement the program.
Co-Chair MacKinnon referred to the second page of the
fiscal analysis (FN 3):
This added option will require programming changes to
be made to the division's database and online dividend
application. It will take approximately 50 hours at $
160.00 per hour for a total of $8,000.
Ms. Race answered that the analysis was correct.
2:04:09 PM
Senator von Imhof queried the mechanics of the drawing.
2:04:43 PM
AT EASE
2:05:27 PM
RECONVENED
Mr. Fellman relayed that the department had communicated
that it was already doing online advertising for other
programs such as college savings program and thought it
would be very simple to add the raffle to those
advertisements.
2:06:12 PM
Senator Micciche understood that a person who turned 18
March 31, the deadline for the application, would be
eligible to participate in the raffle.
Ms. Race replied in the affirmative. She stressed that the
option to participate would only be available on an adult
application.
Co-Chair MacKinnon asked what would happen if an estimated
dividend did not cover the cost of the preordered raffle
tickets.
Ms. Race responded that the division would consider it in
the same way it currently handled garnishment, contribution
or assignment.
Co-Chair MacKinnon understood that the program would be
administered through regulation.
Ms. Race answered in the affirmative.
Co-Chair MacKinnon referred to an order of priority for
vetting those who owed the state money in the form of court
fines, child support, etc. She asked whether the bill
specifically prevented people from purchasing raffle
tickets if they had fiduciary obligations to the state.
Ms. Race stated that involuntary deductions were always
taken out first; the administration recommended that
language be written into the bill that addressed voluntary
deductions.
2:09:34 PM
Co-Chair MacKinnon said that the bill would be held until
the language was inserted. She requested that Ms. Race work
with the bill sponsor to update the legislation.
2:10:05 PM
Co-Chair MacKinnon noted that there were multiple voluntary
deductions that could be made, and she hoped to hear
recommendations from the administration and the committee
in the immediate future.
Senator Micciche probed the prioritization of deductions,
whether voluntary or involuntary.
Ms. Race specified that garnishments would always be paid
out first, then the university college savings program, any
funds available after that would be distributed to
Pick.Click.Give recipients in the order they were selected.
2:11:43 PM
Senator von Imhof thought it would make sense to put the
raffle alongside the Pick.Click.Give program as a voluntary
donation to education.
2:12:20 PM
Senator Micciche agreed with the payment priority list set
out by the administration. He thought that it needed to be
decided whether the raffle would come before or after
Pick.Click.Give on the priority list.
Ms. Race agreed.
2:12:52 PM
Co-Chair MacKinnon asked whether the sponsor had any
recommendations.
Vice-Chair Bishop appreciated the conversation and stated
that he was open to the committee's thoughts on the
legislation.
Senator Micciche feared that the raffle could take funds
away from organizations already in the Pick.Click.Give
program, which could result in the state having to pay for
additional services.
Co-Chair MacKinnon reiterated that involuntary deductions
already had a priority payment written into statute. She
stated that the issue to consider was how to order
voluntary contributions for payment.
2:15:00 PM
Vice-Chair Bishop referred to $388 million spent annually
on raffle tickets in the state.
Senator von Imhof wondered whether there could be a way to
let an applicant know when they had exhausted their total
dividend and had no more available funds to donate
Ms. Race replied in the negative. She stated that at the
point in time that the dividend application was being
administered, the amount of the dividend was not known. She
continued that individuals selected their contributions
based on a projected dividend amount.
2:17:20 PM
Co-Chair MacKinnon asked whether statute allowed for a
prorated reduction of a Pick.Click.Give. donation when the
actual dividend amount was less than the original donation.
Ms. Race stated that the distribution of the voluntary
donations to Pick.Click.Give would have priority based on
the order in which the organizations were chosen.
2:18:52 PM
Senator Micciche thought that if would be difficult to
choose whether to donate to Pick.Click.Give or the raffle.
2:19:54 PM
Vice-Chair Bishop agreed with Senator Micciche.
Co-Chair MacKinnon stated that with the support of the
sponsor, she would draft a committee substitute, which
would be sent in a timely manner to offices for review.
Mr. Fellman spoke to the concern addressed by Senator
Micciche. He thought that the language could be structured
to allow a person pinking the lottery first and then picked
an organization from Pick.Click.Give then the lottery could
be the last priority for payment.
Co-Chair MacKinnon wondered whether a modification in the
prompting programming for donations would be possible and
queried the cost of making changes to the application
prompting programming.
Ms. Race replied that modifying the program was possible.
She felt that further research should done to determine a
specific cost. She noted that Pick.Click.Give and the
university savings program were separate choices that would
be made when applying for a dividend, the lottery would
create a third choice.
2:22:08 PM
Co-Chair MacKinnon hoped Ms. Race could work with division
programmers to understand the details and cost of any
necessary changes.
SB 78 was HEARD and HELD in committee for further
consideration.
2:23:17 PM
AT EASE
2:23:56 PM
RECONVENED
SENATE BILL NO. 51
"An Act extending the termination date of the Board of
Veterinary Examiners; and providing for an effective
date."
2:23:59 PM
Vice-Chair Bishop MOVED to ADOPT proposed committee
substitute for SB 51, Work Draft 30-LS0465\U (Bruce,
4/7/17).
Co-Chair MacKinnon OBJECTED for discussion.
2:24:38 PM
SHAREEN CROSBY, STAFF, SENATOR NATASHA VON IMHOF, explained
that the CS would extend the termination date of the Board
of Veterinary Examiners.
Co-Chair MacKinnon WITHDREW her OBJECTION. There being NO
OBJECTION, it was so ordered.
2:25:39 PM
KRIS CURTIS, AUDITOR, DIVISION OF LEGISLATIVE AUDIT, of the
"Performance Audit of the Department of Commerce,
Community, and Economic Development, Board of Veterinary
Examiners", dated March 18, 2016 (copy on file). She stated
that the board was serving in the public's best interest by
effectively licensing and regulation veterinarians and
veterinary technicians. She said that the division
recommended an 8-year extension, which was the maximum
allowed for in statute. She noted one recommendation, found
on Page 7, that the board chair should review the annual
report for accuracy and completeness before final
submission to the Department of Commerce, Community, and
Economic Development. She noted the schedule of revenues
and expenditures found on Page 6, Page 5 contained a
schedule of licenses.
2:27:48 PM
Co-Chair MacKinnon referred to the chart on Page 6; she
clarified that the board had a surplus in its account in FY
13, which resulted in a decrease in fees. She expressed
concern that the board was going to enter deficit spending.
Ms. Curtis replied that the division did not issue
recommendations if the department had appropriately
increased and decreased fees in the past and appropriate
action was expected to be taken in the future. She
explained that only when boards failed to respond to
deficits and surpluses that recommendations were issued.
2:28:52 PM
Co-Chair MacKinnon asked why the fees had not been
increased in light of the looming deficit spending.
JANEY HOVENDEN, DIRECTOR, DIVISION OF CORPORATIONS,
BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL LICENSING, DEPARTMENT OF
COMMERCE, COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, stated that
prior to the last renewal cycle, the fees had been raised
from $300 to $500. She said that the board was in the black
for FY 17 by $25,303.
Co-Chair MacKinnon observed that in FY 16 and FY 17 there
had been a budget deficit carryforward.
2:30:34 PM
AT EASE
2:33:04 PM
RECONVENED
Co-Chair MacKinnon clarified that the differences in the
legislative audit accounting versus the department was that
the legislative audit was calculating through the fiscal
year, while the department was calculating through the
calendar year.
Ms. Hovenden restated that before the last renewal cycle, a
fee analysis had been conducted, it had been determined
that feed needed to be increased from $300 biannually, to
$500 biannually.
Co-Chair MacKinnon assured the committee that legislative
audit and the department would come to terms on the actual
numbers.
2:34:14 PM
Senator Olson asked whether there were ongoing
investigations or complaints to licensees.
Ms. Hovenden stated that she would need to investigate the
issue and get back to the committee.
2:34:40 PM
Co-Chair MacKinnon reiterated that the CS was a simple
extension bill.
2:35:00 PM
Co-Chair MacKinnon OPENED public testimony.
DR. RACHEL BERNGARTT, BOARD OF VETERINARY EXAMINERS,
JUNEAU, testified in support of the legislation and that
she was available for questions. She believed that the
board was functional, unique, and necessary. She shared
that the board regulated licensees and veterinary
technicians. She shared that the board offered courtesy
licenses for veterinarians coming in the state for special
events and temporary licenses for veterinarians coming from
out of state to provide relief service. She relayed that
all applications were forwarded to the board for review.
2:37:12 PM
BRIAN BERUBE, ALASKA NATIVE TRIBAL HEALTH CONSORTIUM,
ANCHORAGE (via teleconference), called in to speak to the
alteration of the make up of the board. He hoped for
additional rural input and further discussion on services
in rural Alaska.
Co-Chair MacKinnon explained that the issue was not
discussed in the current legislation.
Mr. Berube thought that many people in the state were
concerned about the issue and wondered who he could talk to
to bring the subject to light.
Co-Chair MacKinnon restated that the current bill was an
extension bill and that another piece of legislation could
be introduced that proposed to change the make up of the
board.
2:39:48 PM
PAMELA SANASH, SELF, NENANA (via teleconference), spoke in
opposition to the bill. She reiterated previous testimony
concerning an amendment in another committee that would
have changed the make-up of the current board.
Co-Chair MacKinnon restated that the issue was not
discussed in the current committee substitute.
Ms. Sanash testified in support of a sunset of the board in
2 years. She also suggested that the board should be
completely dismantled. She said that traveling
veterinarians to her rural community had been blocked by
the board, which had resulted in danger to the human and
animal public. She believed that the board was corrupt and
should be reduced or abolished. She lamented that her area
had been without animal vaccinations for 2 years because
traveling veterinarians could not obtain courtesy licensure
through the board.
2:44:06 PM
LEA MCKENZIE, SELF, SUTTON (via teleconference), testified
in opposition to the bill. She echoed previous concerns
about traveling veterinarians obtaining licensure; she said
that they were not flat out denied but were not made to
feel welcome, either.
2:46:47 PM
ROMAINE KOBILSEK, SPAY ARKANSAS, ARKANSAS (via
teleconference), testified in opposition to the bill. She
expressed concern for the long tern extension of the board
given the current non-welcoming climate and the fee
schedule. She argued that the board was not working in the
best interest of the state by increasing the fee schedule,
which made it difficult for non-profit veterinarians to
afford to provide services in the state. She argued that
traveling veterinarians provided services for animals that
would otherwise go without.
2:51:12 PM
Co-Chair MacKinnon CLOSED public testimony.
2:52:03 PM
Vice-Chair Bishop asked whether Ms. Berngartt agreed with
the 8-year extension proposed in the bill.
Dr. Berngartt replied in the affirmative. She specified
that all 50 states had boards that regulated veterinarians
and veterinary technicians.
2:52:33 PM
AT EASE
2:52:53 PM
RECONVENED
Co-Chair MacKinnon shared that the current bill version had
a narrow scope but that she would allow for questions that
pertained to previous versions.
Vice-Chair Bishop expressed concern for animal care in
rural Alaska. She wondered whether the board supported
veterinarians from out of state providing services in rural
Alaska.
Dr. Berngartt confirmed that receiving animal care in rural
Alaska was difficult. She said that board members were not
aware where people intended to practice when they applied
for a permanent license. She argued that the board did not
control courtesy license fees.
2:56:14 PM
Dr. Berngartt disagreed with the statement that the board
was not welcoming to outside veterinarians. She asserted
that the same criteria were used to review every
application and that board members did not make personal
judgements about applicants. She said that a courtesy
license for a special event had never been denied to a
qualified applicant. She stressed that the powers of the
board were outlined in statute and regulation. She
explained that the job of the board was to regulate, not
recruit, licensees. She relayed that the Alaska Veterinary
Rural Outreach was a private non-profit in the state that
practiced sterilization of animals. She added that other
outside companies that wanted to work in the state could
obtain the courtesy license - highlighting the fees were
not set by the board. She said that outside experts
conducting scientific research were required to obtain a
courtesy license. She concluded that the requirements were
not targeting rural veterinarians but were covering the
cost of operating the board. She lamented that the
licensure was expensive but felt that the necessity
outweighed the expense.
2:58:43 PM
Vice-Chair Bishop expressed discomfort about licensees not
disclosing where they would be practicing, specifically.
Dr. Berngartt clarified that specifics had to be given for
courtesy licensure but that temporary licensees did not
have to provide the same detail.
Vice-Chair Bishop asked whether the board might consider
adding a request for information regarding where an
applicant would be practicing.
Ms. Berngartt expressed confusion with the line of
questioning.
3:00:01 PM
Vice-Chair Bishop continued discussing the question of
temporary licenses and where applicants might practice
under those licenses. He wondered whether it would be
helpful to ask temporary license recipients where they
anticipated practicing.
Dr. Berngartt replied that temporary veterinary license
application required naming the practice that the applicant
would be filling in for; however, occasionally practices
did outreach clinics in area outside of their physical
location. She thought that it could be restrictive to
veterinarians to anticipate every physical location of
practice.
3:01:24 PM
Co-Chair MacKinnon recalled public testimony from Arkansas
that licensing fees had been inappropriately increased. She
asked whether the state had the statutory power to increase
fees or if it was the responsibility of the board.
Ms. Hovenden stated that AS 08.01.065 stipulated set fees
that approximated the cost of the program. She added that
the division considered advise from the board regarding fee
changes. She relayed that the fee schedule was ultimately
the responsibility of the state. She noted the program's
past deficit, had lead to the rise in fee. She furthered
that the courtesy license fee was less because it covered a
shorter duration of coverage.
Co-Chair MacKinnon stated that it had been suggested that
the state was charging fees for veterinarians coming to the
state to perform a public service. She wondered whether all
of the fees associated with the practice were justified
Ms. Hovenden relayed that all applicants went through
identical screening and required board approval.
Dr. Berngartt affirmed that all licensing was reviewed in
the same manner.
Co-Chair MacKinnon queried the timeline and possible
challenges for the licensing process.
3:05:23 PM
Dr. Berngartt said that she could not speak to having ever
missed a deadline or failed to license an applicant in a
timely manner. She could not speak to the licensing
practices of other states. She said that if people were
under investigation for misconduct - states did communicate
on the matter.
Ms. Hovenden had found that since 2012, through March 2017,
there had been no courtesy licenses denied.
3:06:56 PM
Senator Micciche understood that the bill would extend the
termination date of the board but that the issues
surrounding veterinary practices in the state could be
approached through specific legislation. He offered to help
to work to craft solutions for problems in rural areas of
the state.
3:08:18 PM
Senator Olson asked whether the veterinary community had a
national databank for licensees.
Dr. Berngartt stated that there was an American Association
of State Veterinary Boards but thought that there was not a
national database. She continued that every state had its
own licensing exam and standards.
3:10:41 PM
Senator Olson asked for commentary on the testimony that
had recommended a shorted board extension.
Dr. Berngartt thought that the testifier was possibly
misinformed of the term limits for board members. She did
not believe that the board should be involved in dictating
where veterinarians practiced in the state. She believed
that communities needed to develop strategies to provide
veterinary services in their areas. She stressed that the
board could not provide direct services.
3:12:45 PM
Vice-Chair Bishop asked whether an individual homeowner in
rural Alaska could administer a vaccination with a
hypodermic needle.
Dr. Berngartt specified that there were vaccines that
individuals could order but there were quality control
issues. She added that private individuals could not
administer the rabies vaccine at home. She recalled that
there had been a lay vaccinator program, which had provided
the vaccine, training, and refrigeration but that the
program had been discontinued due to funding and liability.
She thought that the question should be directed to the
Department of Epidemiology.
3:14:17 PM
Senator Micciche relayed that he was ok with the bill
moving forward.
Co-Chair MacKinnon thought that the bill could be used to
address the proper licensure needed to ensure proper animal
care in the state.
3:15:44 PM
Co-Chair MacKinnon drew attention to the Page 4 of the
audit findings:
Two regulatory changes improved and increased
veterinary services in bush communities. Regulation 12
AAC 68.041 added spay-and neuter clinics to the
courtesy license definition of special event. This
allows visiting veterinarians to provide spay-and-
neuter services in bush communities. Additionally,
regulation 12 AAC 68.300 amended veterinary technician
duties to allow licensed veterinary technicians,
employed by a licensed veterinarian, to receive
guidance remotely while providing services in
communities with no established veterinary practice.
Co-Chair MacKinnon asked whether there was additional
information in the audit regarding rural communities.
Ms. Curtis stated that the audit had been structured to
examine the rural issue during the planning phase, field
work had been done to see what the board had done in
response to the concerns, it had been identified that the
board had acted to change regulation and make improvements
in the area.
3:17:23 PM
Senator Micciche wondered which agency the committee should
work with to answer the concerns of rural Alaska.
Ms. Curtis thought there was a state veterinarian, employed
by the state, who would be a resource for rural Alaskans.
Senator Micciche appreciated the testifier from Arkansas
and spoke to the vast size of the state.
Co-Chair MacKinnon stated that the committee could discuss
the fiscal note the following day.
Co-Chair MacKinnon discussed housekeeping.
ADJOURNMENT
3:20:23 PM
The meeting was adjourned at 3:20 p.m.