Legislature(1997 - 1998)
03/11/1997 01:47 PM Senate L&C
| Audio | Topic |
|---|
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
SENATE LABOR AND COMMERCE COMMITTEE
March 11, 1997
1:47 P.M.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Senator Loren Leman, Chairman
Senator Jerry Mackie, Vice Chairman
Senator Mike Miller
Senator Tim Kelly
MEMBERS ABSENT
Senator Lyman Hoffman
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
Confirmation Hearing:
Alcoholic Beverage Control Board
Mr. Robert Klein - Anchorage
Board of Pharmacy
Ms. Bonnie R. Stewart - Anchorage
Mr. Stanley Thompson - Anchorage
Board of Registration for Architects, Engineers, and Land
Surveyors
Ms. Daphne E. Brown - Anchorage
Mr. Patrick H. Kalen - Fairbanks
Mr. Robert E. Miller - Anchorage
Ms. Marcia Davis - Anchorage
SENATE BILL NO. 87
"An Act relating to regulation of 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."
- MOVED CSSB 87(L&C)am OUT OF COMMITTEE
PREVIOUS SENATE COMMITTEE ACTION
SB 87 - No previous action to be considered.
WITNESS REGISTER
Mr. Merle Jantz, President
AELS Board
1077 Vincent Ct.
North Pole, AK 99705
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported SB 87.
Mr. Patrick Kalen, Member
AELS Board
1041 Chena Ridge Rd.
Fairbanks, AK 99709
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported SB 87.
Mr. Dwayne Adams
Alaska Professional Design Council
13311 Cove Circle
Anchorage, AK 99515
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported SB 87.
Ms. Catherine Reardon, Director
Division of Occupations Licensing
Department of Commerce and Economic Development
P.O. Box 110806
Juneau, AK 99811-0806
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported SB 87.
ACTION NARRATIVE
TAPE 97-10, SIDE A
Number 001
CHAIRMAN LEMAN called the Senate Labor and Commerce Committee
meeting to order at 1:47 p.m. and asked Mr. Robert Klein to give
the committee his background and the reason he wanted to serve on
the Alcoholic Beverage Control Board. MR. KLEIN said this is his
second term and he is currently serving as Chairman. They are not
only making sure license holders throughout the State are adhering
to Title 4, but making the communities more a part of the decisions
that affect alcoholic beverages.
There were no questions from Committee members.
CHAIRMAN LEMAN said that Ms. Stewart and Mr. Thompson, Board of
Pharmacy, were not available for comment at this time. Ms. Brown,
Board of Registration for Architects, Engineers, and Land
Surveyors, was also not available. Next he asked Mr. Robert
Miller to brief the Committee on his qualifications for that
Board.
MR. MILLER said he had been a civil engineer for almost 36 years
and had been a registered professional engineer for over 25 years.
He reviewed his resume for the Committee.
CHAIRMAN LEMAN thanked him for his willingness to serve. There
were no questions from the Committee members.
MS. MARCIA DAVIS said she is a lawyer by profession and is for
maintaining professional standards within any profession. She said
she is up for the public member's slot on the Board of Registration
for Architects, Engineers, and Land Surveyors. She believed in
maintaining professional standards so there is a high degree of
public trust and public safety impacts. As ability to fund public
consumer protection programs ebbs, it is all the more important for
these Boards to work.
CHAIRMAN LEMAN asked how she was contacted to serve on this Board.
MS. DAVIS said she was contacted by a Board member who was aware of
the vacancy about two or three months ago. CHAIRMAN LEMAN asked if
she had any experience with the statute of repose or any issues
like that as a lawyer. She replied that she had experience with
statutes of repose and limitations, but not specifically as they
apply to engineers or the construction industry.
Number 120
MR. PATRICK KALEN, Board of Registration for Architects, Engineers,
and Land Surveyors, reviewed his resume for the Committee. He said
he had served on this Board before in 1988 and 1992 and he has
strong support from the land surveying profession.
SB 87 ARCHITECTS, ENGINEERS & SURVEYORS
CHAIRMAN LEMAN said that completed everyone they were able to reach
and announced SB 87 to be up for consideration.
MS. KREITZER, Staff to Senate Labor and Commerce Committee,
explained the CS which was a result of conversations between the
Division of Occupational Licensing, the Alaska Professional Design
Council, and the AELS Board. The only element this Committee made
clear they did not agree with was the sunset date which remains at
2001, not at 2003. She said they might want to note on page 2,
under Organizations and Meetings, the title of President is changed
to Chairman and Vice President is changed to Vice Chairman.
SENATOR KELLY said he thought they would eventually add landscape
architects to this Board. If they do that, he noted that there was
room for someone to be appointed.
SENATOR MILLER moved to adopt the CS to SB 87. There were no
objections and it was so ordered.
MR. MERLE JANTZ, President, AELS Board, said the Board had worked
hard and focused on public health, safety, and welfare. He said
they support the CS to SB 87. It addresses all the issues the
Board was concerned about except they are in favor of the year 2003
as the sunset date. He clarified that they elected the Chairman,
the Vice Chairman, and the Secretary.
Number 250
SENATOR MACKIE moved on page 2, line 5 to delete "president" and
insert "chair;" delete "vice president" and insert "vice chair."
There were no objections and it was so ordered.
MR. DWAYNE ADAMS, Alaska Professional Design Council, said this
one of the most important pieces of legislation they will review
for the protection of the health and safety of Alaskans.
Continuance of the licensing of architects assures our buildings
work, meet safety codes, and are accessible. Continuance of
licensing of engineers insures our water is clean, our buildings
are safe, and their mechanical and electrical systems meet the
needs of our unique climate in our urban and rural conditions.
Continuance of the licensure of our surveyors insures the ability
to conduct commerce under clearly defined lines and patterns of
ownership. He said they support this bill, but recommend that the
2001 be changed to 2003, because the value of these professionals
for maintenance of health and safety is self evident.
Number 297
MR. MIKE TAURIANIEN, Board of Architects, Engineers, and Land
Surveyors, said he has served for seven years. Bringing the number
of surveyors to two is important for the efficient operation of the
Board. They make up a significant portion of their work load.
SENATOR KELLY said he supported the bill and asked if anyone
opposed licensing landscape architects. MR. TAURIANIEN said the
Board has generally been in favor of it, although it's been a split
vote. His main concern is showing a compelling reason for
protection of the public. SENATOR KELLY asked him if he didn't
think the fact that 43 other states do was enough of a reason. MR.
TAURIANIEN replied not at all.
SENATOR KELLY asked why he thought it was compelling to license
him. MR. TAURIANIEN said he wouldn't argue with him if the
legislature decided not to. He thought they went overboard in
registration of many professions.
MR. JANTZ said the Board in a teleconference about a week ago
considered the issue of including landscape architects and voted in
favor of removing them because there weren't enough to justify an
additional position for licensing them at this time.
MR. KALEN said the draft legislation the Board reviewed proposed to
add a landscape architect to the Board. VICE CHAIRMAN MACKIE noted
that Senator Leman had to leave and that they would have this issue
before the Committee in another bill.
SENATOR MILLER said he wasn't sure why the fiscal notes coming from
the Department are written to show fiscal impact when these funds
are already built into the budget. A fiscal note means another
Finance Committee referral. MS. REARDON, Director, Division of
Occupational Licensing, said the only reason they do the fiscal
notes that way is because they were directed by the legislature
several years ago to show the on-going costs so they would know
what they would save by eliminating the licensing program. She
said she would be very happy to do the fiscal notes any way the
legislature wants them.
SENATOR MILLER said if it's money that's already being collected,
he would rather see them reflect either additional money that would
be used or if there was a subtraction.
SENATOR MILLER moved to zero out the fiscal note to make it
accurate. There were no objections and it was so ordered.
MS. REARDON added that the draft CS adds a member to the Board
which would have a small fiscal impact of the money needed to
travel to the Board meetings for that person. She anticipated
about $2,500 per year.
Number 420
SENATOR MILLER moved to pass CSSB87(L&C)am from committee with
individual recommendations with a $0 fiscal note. There were no
objections and it was so ordered.
VICE CHAIRMAN MACKIE adjourned the meeting at 2:17 p.m.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|