Legislature(1995 - 1996)
04/06/1995 01:35 PM Senate L&C
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SENATE LABOR AND COMMERCE COMMITTEE
April 6, 1995
1:35 P.M.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Senator Tim Kelly, Chairman
Senator John Torgerson, Vice Chairman
Senator Mike Miller
Senator Judy Salo
MEMBERS ABSENT
Senator Jim Duncan
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
HOUSE BILL NO. 23
"An Act relating to referrals involving dental services."
CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 116(L&C)
"An Act exempting the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute from the
State Procurement Code."
PREVIOUS SENATE COMMITTEE ACTION
HB 23 - No previous action to record.
HB 116 - No previous action to record.
WITNESS REGISTER
Darin Morgan, Legislative Aide
Representative Gary Davis
State Capitol
Juneau, AK 99801-1182
POSITION STATEMENT: Commented on HB 23.
Dr. Dan Pitts
Soldotna, AK 99660
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported HB 23.
Amy Dougherty, Legislative Aide
Representative Alan Austerman
State Capitol
Juneau, AK 99801-1182
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported CSHB 116(L&C).
Art Shunemann
Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute
1111 West 8th Street, Suite 100
Juneau, AK 99801
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported CSHB 116(L&C).
ACTION NARRATIVE
TAPE 95-16, SIDE A
Number 001
HB 23 REFERRALS INVOLVING DENTAL SERVICES
CHAIRMAN KELLY called the Senate Labor and Commerce Committee
meeting to order at 1:35 p.m. and announced HB 23 to be up for
consideration.
DARIN MORGAN, Legislative aide to Senator Gary Davis, said HB 23
prohibits the receipt of compensation by a dentist for referring a
person to another dentist or dental practice. The American Dental
Association Code of Ethics forbids dentists from profiting from
referrals. This legislation codifies the ethical concern relating
to referrals. Section 2 prohibits the receipt of compensation by
a person or advertisement referring a dental service unless the
compensation for referral is disclosed at the time of referral.
This will help insure that patients are being referred to a dentist
or dental practice as a result of their service.
DR. DAN PITTS, the Alaska Dental Society, explained that the reason
for this legislation is because of complaints coming through the
Dental Society about the 1-800 dentist referral service doing
referrals without disclosing that the dentist they are referring
paid for the advertisement in the yellow pages. Many times
patients would be referred to the wrong kind of dentist.
The American Dental Society feels it is unethical for dentists to
receive compensation for referring to another dentist, a practice
that is called "fee splitting."
SENATOR SALO asked if that also held true for a dentist referring
a patient to an oral surgeon or an orthodontist. He said that was
correct.
Number 127
SENATOR MILLER moved to pass HB 23 from committee with individual
recommendations. There were no objections and it was so ordered.
HB 116 EXEMPT ASMI FROM PROCUREMENT CODE
SENATOR KELLY announced CSHB 116(L&C) to be up for consideration.
AMY DOUGHERTY, Legislative Aide to Representative Austerman, said
HB 116 seeks relief for ASMI from the State Procurement Code,
because it impedes their way of doing business by keeping them from
being more responsive in the marketing of state seafood. The House
Labor and Commerce Committee decided to have the ASMI Board develop
their own procurement policies.
ART SHUNEMANN, Executive Director, Alaska Seafood Marketing
Institute (ASMI), supported CSHB 116 (L&C). He said they are a
seafood commodity commission funded through industry assessments.
The state procurement process they currently work under is designed
to manage the purchasing of traditional governmental services in
Alaska and is not compatible with marketing and business
development type of work in the United States which is their target
market.
SENATOR KELLY asked what percentage of their budget is made up of
state funds. MR. SHUNEMANN answered that it is currently $1.09
million of actual general fund money. This is used to match
federal dollars from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Foreign
Agriculture Service, for their export program.
SENATOR KELLY questioned a letter that was written on Governor
Hickel's stationery that wasn't signed or dated and instructed
staff to not accept unsigned and undated letters.
SENATOR TORGERSON moved to pass CS HB 116(L&C) from committee with
individual recommendations. There were no objections and it was so
ordered.
SENATOR KELLY adjourned the meeting at 1:52 p.m.
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