01/31/2012 01:30 PM Senate LABOR & COMMERCE
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| SB158 | |
| SB150 | |
| SB155 | |
| Adjourn |
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| *+ | SB 155 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | SB 150 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
| = | SB 158 | ||
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
SENATE LABOR AND COMMERCE STANDING COMMITTEE
January 31, 2012
1:31 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Senator Dennis Egan, Chair
Senator Joe Paskvan, Vice Chair
Senator Linda Menard
Senator Bettye Davis
Senator Cathy Giessel
MEMBERS ABSENT
All members present
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
SENATE BILL NO. 158
"An Act relating to the Real Estate Commission; and providing
for an effective date."
- MOVED CSSB 158(L&C) OUT OF COMMITTEE
SENATE BILL NO. 150
"An Act relating to applying military education, training, and
service credit to occupational licensing and certain
postsecondary education and employment training requirements;
and providing for a temporary occupational license for qualified
military service members."
- MOVED CSSB 150(STA) OUT OF COMMITTEE
SENATE BILL NO. 155
"An Act extending the termination dates of the Board of Nursing,
the Board of Dental Examiners, the Board of Barbers and
Hairdressers, the Big Game Commercial Services Board, the
Alcoholic Beverage Control Board, and the Alaska Seismic Hazards
Safety Commission; and providing for an effective date."
- MOVED SB 155 OUT OF COMMITTEE
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
BILL: SB 158
SHORT TITLE: REAL ESTATE SALES LICENSEES
SPONSOR(s): SENATOR(s) EGAN
01/17/12 (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
01/17/12 (S) L&C, FIN
01/26/12 (S) L&C AT 1:30 PM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)
01/26/12 (S) Heard & Held
01/26/12 (S) MINUTE(L&C)
BILL: SB 150
SHORT TITLE: MILITARY TRAINING CREDIT
SPONSOR(s): WIELECHOWSKI
01/17/12 (S) PREFILE RELEASED 1/13/12
01/17/12 (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
01/17/12 (S) STA, L&C
01/24/12 (S) STA AT 9:00 AM BUTROVICH 205
01/24/12 (S) Heard & Held
01/24/12 (S) MINUTE(STA)
01/26/12 (S) STA AT 9:00 AM BUTROVICH 205
01/26/12 (S) Moved CSSB 150(STA) Out of Committee
01/26/12 (S) MINUTE(STA)
01/27/12 (S) STA RPT CS 3DP 1NR NEW TITLE
01/27/12 (S) DP: WIELECHOWSKI, PASKVAN, MEYER
01/27/12 (S) NR: GIESSEL
01/31/12 (S) L&C AT 1:30 PM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)
BILL: SB 155
SHORT TITLE: EXTENDING CERTAIN BOARDS & COMMISSIONS
SPONSOR(s): RULES BY REQUEST OF LEG BUDGET & AUDIT
01/17/12 (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
01/17/12 (S) L&C, FIN
01/31/12 (S) L&C AT 1:30 PM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)
WITNESS REGISTER
DANA OWEN
Staff to the Senate Labor and Commerce Committee
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Explained changes in CSSB 158 (L&C).
SENATOR WIELECHOWSKI
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Sponsor of SB 150.
MICHAEL O'HARE, Deputy Director
Homeland Security/Emergency Management
Department of Military & Veterans Affairs (DMVA)
Ft. Richardson, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Was available to answer questions on SB 150.
MARK SAN SOUCI
Department of Defense Regional Liaison for Military Families for
the Northwest, working for the Deputy Assistant Secretary of
Defense for Military Family & Community Policy
Anchorage, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported SB 150.
RIC DAVIDGE
Vietnam Veterans of America, Chapter 904
Anchorage, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported SB 150.
CHRIS CHRISTENSEN, Associate Vice President
State Relations
University of Alaska
Anchorage, AK
POSITION STATEMENT:
REPRESENTATIVE HAWKER, Chairman
Legislative Budget and Audit Committee (LB&A)
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Commented on SB 155.
KRISTIN CURTIS, Legislative Auditor
Division of Legislative Audit
Legislative Affairs Agency
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Commented on SB 155.
ROD COMBELLICK, Deputy Director
Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys
Department of Natural Resources (DNR)
Fairbanks, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Available to answer questions on SB 155.
MICHAEL O'HARE, Deputy Director
Homeland Security and Emergency Management
Department of Military & Veterans Affairs (DMVA)
Fort Richardson, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported SB 155.
SHIRLEY GIFFORD, Director
Alcoholic Beverage Control Board (ABC)
Anchorage, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported SB 155.
THOR STACEY, Lobbyist
Alaska Professional Hunters Association
Juneau, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported SB 155, specifically the
reauthorization of the Big Game and Commercial Services Board.
BOB SWENSON, State Geologist and Director
State Geological and Geophysical Surveys
Department of Natural Resources (DNR)
Juneau, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported SB 155.
DON HABEGER, Director
Division of Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing
Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development
(DCCED)
Juneau, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Answered questions relating to SB 155.
ACTION NARRATIVE
1:31:28 PM
CHAIR DENNIS EGAN called the Senate Labor and Commerce Standing
Committee meeting to order at 1:31 p.m. All members were present
at the call to order.
SB 158-REAL ESTATE SALES LICENSEES
1:32:24 PM
CHAIR EGAN announced SB 158 to be up for consideration. He asked
his staff to explain the committee substitute (CS).
DANA OWEN, staff to the Senate Labor and Commerce Committee,
said the only change in SB 158 was on page 3, line 16, where the
word "board" was changed to "commission", because it was an
incorrect term. There were no other changes.
SENATOR PASKVAN moved to bring CSSB 158(L&C)[labeled 27-
LS1214\M] before the committee for purposes of discussion.
CHAIR EGAN objected. He found no further discussion.
SENATOR PASKVAN moved to report CSSB 158(L&C), version \M, from
committee with individual recommendations and attached fiscal
note if any. There were no objections and it was so ordered.
SB 150-MILITARY TRAINING CREDIT
1:34:49 PM
CHAIR EGAN announced SB 150 to be up for consideration. He said
that they would take up CSSB 150(STA) [labeled 27-LS1117\T].
1:34:54 PM
At ease from 1:34:54 to 1:36:22 p.m.
1:36:22 PM
SENATOR WIELECHOWSKI, sponsor of SB 150, explained that
separating service members leave the military with documented
training, experience and education that often prepares them for
civilian employment. However, this documentation is not always
used by state entities to qualify them for licenses required for
their occupation or to provide them with academic credit.
According to data prepared by the Department of Defense (DOD),
as of June 2011, 1 million veterans were unemployed and the
jobless rate for post 9/11 veterans was 13.3 percent with young
male veterans experiencing an unemployment rate of around 22
percent.
He said a number of states are considering or have passed
similar legislation to this. This bill requires the Department
of Commerce and applicable boards to accept military education,
training and services as equivalent to some or all of the
qualifications required while applying for a license or
certificate. It authorizes the issuance of a temporary license
or certificate for active duty service members who had an
equivalent license or certificate issued by another state, and
it requires the president of the University of Alaska, the
Alaska Commission on Post-Secondary Education and the Department
of Labor and Workforce Development to implement a policy and
procedure for the acceptance of military education, training and
service credit as academic credit toward a degree or a technical
program offered at the University. He noted that the Department
of Commerce, Community and Economic Development (DCCED) worked
with them so that the cost could be lowered so the fiscal note
is zero. Other states have implemented this bill with a zero
fiscal note. He said this is the top priority for the US
Department of Defense.
1:39:28 PM
MICHAEL O'HARE, Deputy Director, Homeland Security/Emergency
Management, Department of Military & Veterans Affairs (DMVA),
Ft. Richardson, Alaska, said he was available to answer
questions on SB 150.
1:39:56 PM
MARK SAN SOUCI, Department of Defense Regional Liaison for
Military Families for the Northwest, working for the Deputy
Assistant Secretary of Defense for Military Family & Community
Policy, said the department supported SB 150. He said as Senator
Wielechowski mentioned last year, with over 1 million veterans
unemployed and a post 9/11 unemployment rate of 13.3 percent and
an unemployment rate for 18 to 24 year old veterans at 21.9
percent, the Department of Defense began supporting efforts in
the states to give separating service members credit so they may
not be held back from finding employment or finishing a degree.
They are asking states to establish policies that ensure
separating service members do not have to repeat requirements
they may have already completed during a military career to
obtain academic credit or an occupational license.
He said last year four states enacted new laws to help grant
veterans credit towards licensing in academics. So far, in the
2012 session, 15 other states have had 27 bills resembling the
one before them today. They are not asking for direct licensure
if it's not equivalent in cases where the regulatory agency or
board determines partial credit; they are only seeking credit
where credit is due.
MR. SAN SOUCI said they should consider that a veteran's
training with the DOD has already been paid for just by paying
federal taxes. Also, the more credit given to a veteran towards
licensing or a degree or certification, the more school slots
can be made available to civilians especially in Alaskan
programs that may have waiting lists.
He said the DOD is working feverishly with the US Department of
Labor to link service transcripts of military occupations with
private sector licensing requirements while also asking state
regulatory authorities in pilot states of Washington, Illinois
and Maryland to review select military occupations to determine
whether the training and experience is sufficient to be rendered
useful in determining licensing credit in given occupations. The
DOD is also working with the military services to simplify the
processing of academic transcripts to help with the evaluation
of academics with the higher institutions of learning.
MR. SAN SOUCI said Alaska is home to thousands of veterans and
is a desired location for separating and retired military
members when choosing where to live after leaving the military.
A 2010 study by the Defense Manpower Data Center showed Alaska
had 1,286 military people separate to become veterans or retire
from the military and move back to Alaska and call it home. So,
Alaska can expect many highly qualified ex-military people to
continue to enjoy its quality of life, and many will continue to
choose Alaska when they want to transition into civilian life
and careers.
He said Washington State has two bills, one for medical
occupations and one for non-medical occupations and they went
into law last July. They are considered best practices
legislation and the bill in front of them is very much modeled
after them. He asked that Alaska join the 15 other states
considering passing policy to help veterans along with the other
four that did last year.
1:44:52 PM
SENATOR MENARD asked if the argument has been made that many
people need the same popular classes and if military people get
credit for IT, for instance, other people could have those
classroom slots. Often classes are closed because too many
people need them for their degree.
SENATOR WIELECHOWSKI said that was a great point and
theoretically it would open up more space for people to take
classes, but the main thing they are trying to do is to avoid
duplication.
1:47:18 PM
RIC DAVIDGE, Vietnam Veterans of America, Chapter 904,
Anchorage, Alaska, said they support SB 150. He said he also
serves as National Director of Government Affairs for the
Vietnam Veterans of America. He said they are interested in
shortening the time between separation and employment. If
existing and already recognized skills and training could be
recognized in the professional community, that shortens that
time up. The University is making great efforts to accommodate
veterans in this respect and their Veterans Service officers on
the Fairbanks Campus report this issue is going extremely well.
1:49:09 PM
CHRIS CHRISTENSEN, Associate Vice President, State Relations,
University of Alaska, said he was here to talk about section 2
in SB 150, which directs the University's president to adopt
policies and procedures to award credit for military training,
service and education. He began by noting that the University is
committed to offering quality educational experiences to active
military veterans and their dependents. GI Jobs, a magazine in
"Web Portal" that exists specifically to serve people who are
transitioning from the military back into civilian life, has
designated both UAA and UAF as GI Jobs military friendly
schools. The significance of this is that only 15 percent of all
the colleges, universities and vocational schools in the country
were able to receive that rating from that entity. He said that
is a "pretty sad commentary" on the military friendliness of
schools down in the Lower 48 and that's probably why the DOD
feels it's necessary to push this in the various states.
He said WebPortalGuidetoOn-LineSchools.com, a very comprehensive
authority on distance education and on-line learning, just
released its 2012 rankings of military friendly on-line schools.
And out of the multitude of schools that offer on-line and
distance education, UAA was rated number five. As the entity
that made that rating possible by its funding decisions and
other support the legislature should be proud of the part it
played.
While trying to learn the University system over the last few
months, the single issue Mr. Christensen said he has heard most
about is transfer of credit. It's a contentious issue where
everyone has a story or an opinion; military transfer credit is
just a piece of this bigger issue. The Board of Regents has a
written policy that the campuses must accept in transfers as
much credit as is appropriate to a student's new degree in
graduation requirements. All three campuses have established
transfer credit policies designed to give maximum credit for
courses and training taken elsewhere, specifically including the
military. He reminded them that a degree from an institution is
a representation to potential employers and to others that the
holder has actually learned what the degree stands for and can
do the things it says they can do.
MR. CHRISTENSEN said their credit transfer policies have evolved
over time for streamlining while still protecting the integrity
of the degree. It is a work in progress and the policies are
continually tweaked to make them more student-friendly.
1:52:54 PM
They believe awarding appropriate credit for military training
is one of their basic responsibilities. But there are actually a
lot of misconceptions in the building about what UA does with
respect to accepting military credits. All three campuses
transfer credit based on recommendations made by the American
Council of Education (ACE) that has been in existence since the
end of World War II. It has had an agreement with DOD for the
last 65 years to review military training and experience for the
award of equivalent college credit - essentially recommendations
on what military service is the equivalent of civilian college
credit - that is currently being used by thousands of
universities and colleges around the country.
MR. CHRISTENSEN said each of the University's three campuses has
a written agreement with the DOD to use the ACE recommendations.
The three campuses are also members of the Service Members
Opportunity Colleges (SOC), a consortium of 1900 colleges and
universities that enroll active military, veterans and their
dependents in special degree programs. The purpose of the
consortium is to let military folks actually get degrees rather
than just accumulate credits as they moved from base to base
around the country and around the world. In order to be members
of this consortium the campuses had to sign written agreements
easing the transferability of credit between the member
institutions. They even had to agree to limit the number of
credits required of military students at the campuses to get one
of their degrees. For example, at UAA a military student getting
a SOC Associates Degree (AA) is only required to take 3 UAA
credits on campus; all the other credits in the SOC consortium
will be accepted.
He said the schools do not have a limitation on the number of
military transfer credits that they will accept, but they used
to. UAA did away with that as recently as last year as part of
its continual process to review how things are done and to make
it more student friendly.
Right now, UAF is in the process of developing a minor degree
based on typical military credits, the kind that most servicemen
would just automatically have, which can be used to satisfy up
to 18 credits towards any bachelor's degree.
MR. CHRISTENSEN said he could go on and on, but bottom line last
year UAA alone awarded over 15,000 credits to service members
for training, education and even for time spent in the service.
Approximately 99.5 percent of the military students who
requested transfer credit were given that credit. He concluded
saying that Alaska is widely known to service members as a state
that welcomes and appreciates the military.
SENATOR MENARD asked if he agreed that Alaska is superior in
military friendliness, because we have every single service
branch here. We are in the top 15 percent of most friendly to
military states in the nation.
1:57:27 PM
MR. CHRISTENSEN said he agreed, and added that the military know
they are appreciated here.
SENATOR GIESSEL thanked him and said the University had sent her
a four-page letter enumerating all the proactive steps the
University had taken on this issue, and she thanked them.
MR. CHRISTENSEN responded that he participated in the writing of
that letter and actually in the interests of brevity the list
was cut way down to four pages.
1:58:58 PM
SENATOR PASKVAN said it's wonderful that Alaska is in the top 15
percent, but he said the University has a system in place and he
didn't want this to interfere with it. His belief is that it
doesn't, but he wanted assurance. He noted specifically on page
1, line 9, it says "shall accept" and the applicant has to
provide "satisfactory evidence of successful completion", and on
page 4, lines 17 and 18, it says those transfers have to "meet
the requirements of the accrediting body of the institution or
the commission."
MR. CHRISTIANSON responded, "I think you are accurate." He said
the bill has been drafted to instruct the university to adopt
procedures for the acceptance of relevant credit and they have
signed agreements with the DOD to use the ACE system for members
of the SOC. He is assuming they will continue to do things much
the way they have done with the ever-present eye to seeing if
they can do things better, and just the review of this bill has
done that.
SENATOR PASKVAN remarked that this bill reflects the policy of
the State of Alaska, not only the University, and moved to
report CSSB 150 (L&C), version T, from committee with individual
recommendations and attached zero fiscal note.
SENATOR GIESSEL said the fiscal note is zero for the University,
but the DCCED has one of $207.8, because regulations need to be
written by the Department of Commerce, Community and Economic
Development (DCCED).
SENATOR PASKVAN amended the motion to "attached multiple fiscal
notes." There were no objections and CSSB 150 (L&C) moved from
Senate Labor and Commerce Standing Committee.
2:04:04 PM
At ease from 2:04 to 2:05 p.m.
SB 155-EXTENDING CERTAIN BOARDS & COMMISSIONS
2:05:22 PM
CHAIR EGAN announced SB 155 [labeled 27-LS1006\B] to be up for
consideration.
2:05:40 PM
REPRESENTATIVE HAWKER said he is here today in his capacity as
chairman of the Legislative Budget and Audit Committee (LB&A),
sponsor of SB 155. He explained that this is the official
reauthorization of various boards and commissions whose terms of
existence have expired in accordance with statute. He added that
our boards and commissions are placed in statute on a temporal
basis requiring they come back up before the legislature for
review and reconsideration on a cyclical basis.
The bill contains six boards and commissions. Four are familiar
having rolled through the Senate Labor and Commerce Committee
last year. They made it through legislative process and reached
the governor's desk but he was uncomfortable with the provision
that had been added in Senate Finance that was essentially a
policy decision involving judicial matters that had not received
a full vetting in front of a Judiciary Committee in the
legislature. So he vetoed the bill knowing another year remained
to reconsider it.
REPRESENTATIVE HAWKER said the bill before them does not have
any policy decisions other than the reauthorization of the
various boards and commissions, specifically the Board of
Barbers and Hairdressers through June 19, 2019; the Board of
Dental Examiners through June 30, 2019; the Board of Nursing
through June 30, 2019; and the Alcoholic Beverage Control Board
through June 30, 2015. They are seeing those for the second time
as a result of the situation he just described.
The two they have not seen yet are the Big game Commercial
Services Board through June 30, 2016 and the Alaska Seismic
Hazards Safety Commission through June 30, 2016. The
reauthorization dates are recommended by the Legislative
Auditor.
He noted that the fairly near-term date of the Alcoholic
Beverage Control Board (ABC) relates to the short leash it has
been on because of numerous issues identified by the auditor.
The board has responded to the concerns raised, but extending it
to the 2014 date will put them back on course for a more normal
reauthorization.
REPRESENTATIVE HAWKER said they have a new state legislative
auditor, because Pat Davidson who served in that capacity for
over 30 years retired last December. The acting state
legislative auditor is Kris Curtis, who also has a long history
in the agency.
2:10:41 PM
KRISTIN CURTIS, Division of Legislative Audit, Legislative
Affairs Agency, Alaska State Legislature, said SB 155 extends
the termination dates for six boards and commissions. They have
performed sunset audits for all the entities. The Board of
Barbers and Hairdressers, the Board of Dental Examiners and the
Board of Nursing were completed before the end of 2010 and were
discussed before this committee last year. She concluded they
served a public purpose and should be extended and
recommendations for extension are the same dates in SB 155.
Their last full sunset audit of the ABC Board is dated July
2009. However, they followed up with the board last year and
again this month regarding the status of implementing the audit
recommendations. The audit in 2009 concluded that the board
should be extended and did serve a public need. However, they
made several recommendations to improve the board's
effectiveness and efficiency.
2:11:33 PM
She said they recommended a stronger internal control
environment be implemented to include written policies and
operational procedures as well as a strategic plan governing
enforcement activities. Since that time many improvements have
been made, and their prior recommendations have been
substantially implemented, except one outstanding recommendation
concerning licensing revenue. Their prior recommendation stated
that licensing fee revenues recorded in the ABC board's data
base did not agree with, nor was it reconciled with, the same
revenue recorded in the state's accounting system. That
deficiency continues to exist. They have contacted the
Department of Public Safety's Division of Administrative
Services to ask the status and they stated there has been
turnover in their fiscal staff that has delayed resolving the
finding. But they are currently working on addressing it.
MS. CURTIS said the sunset review of the Big Game Commercial
Services Board is dated September 2011; the purpose of the audit
was to determine if the board should be extended and if it was
serving in the public's interest. They recommended a termination
date for the board be extended until June 30, 2016. The board
has served a public interest by providing reasonable assurance
that those individuals licensed to guide, outfit and transport
were qualified to do so, and the board has successful developed
and adopted regulatory changes to improve the big game
commercial services industry. The four-year extension is based
the board not fully implementing prior audit recommendations and
the less than sufficient services by the Division of
Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing in support of
the board's operations.
She said the sunset report contained one new recommendation and
five repeats. The new recommendation address the poor security
controls over electronic and paper versions of confidential hunt
records. This information is maintained as confidential by
statute. However, the division does not have staff with the
technical capabilities to restrict access to the electronic
records and does not have policies and procedures to ensure the
physical files are adequately safeguarded.
MS. CURTIS said the repeat recommendations cover a variety of
issues including poor operational support by the division in
both the administrative and investigative areas. Licensee fees
continue to be insufficient to support the board's operations.
At the end of FY11 there was a deficit of almost $375,000. They
again recommended that first aid requirements be made consistent
between the various licensee types. And finally, the board still
wants to maintain a data base of hunt records and reports, and
this takes a significant amount of administrative time. Given
the fiscal condition of the board, they question whether it is a
prudent use of resources, given the little value they have been
able to demonstrate.
2:15:16 PM
MS. CURTIS said the sunset audit of the Alaska Seismic Hazard
Safety Commission is dated June 2011. The purpose of the review
was again to determine if the termination date of the commission
should be extended. They found that it is operating effectively
and is serving a public purpose. Therefore, they recommended
extending the commission until June 30, 2016. The report
contained four recommendations: that the commission develop a
strategic plan to guide its efforts to mitigate seismic hazard
risks in Alaska; develop procedures to ensure public notices of
meetings are published timely; follow its procedures regarding
habitually absent members and the Office of the Governor should
fill appointments to the commission in a timely manner.
2:16:24 PM
ROD COMBELLICK, Deputy Director, Division of Geological and
Geophysical Surveys, Department of Natural Resources (DNR),
Fairbanks, said he was available to answer questions on SB 155.
MICHAEL O'HARE, Deputy Director, Homeland Security and Emergency
Management, Department of Military & Veterans Affairs (DMVA),
said they supported section 6 for the Seismic Hazards Safety
Commission and offered to answer questions on SB 155.
2:17:32 PM
SHIRLEY GIFFORD, Director, Alcoholic Beverage Control Board,
said she supported SB 155. She said she has been director for
the past three years; prior to that she was an ABC board member
and has a fairly good understanding of its importance in
controlling the manufacturing, selling, bartering and possessing
of alcoholic beverages in the state. She asked that the board be
extended. They are currently in a wind-down year and don't have
a sunset. They have done a lot of work in the past three years
in trying to respond to the audit's recommendations. If the
board is not extended they would take giant steps backwards in
controlling alcoholic beverages in the state.
She said they had made many positive changes within the agency
and have several new employees, "a kind of transfusion," and
things are working very well. The employees are proficient,
professional and courteous.
MS. GIFFORD said they had received some feedback from the
industry about dissatisfaction with the board, aside from the
legislative audit and she wanted to respond to them, as well as
the auditor's recommendations. She developed a survey and sent
1,439 of them to industry members and after about three months
got 257 returned, an 18 percent return. She understood that was
fairly decent for a mail-in survey.
MS. GIFFORD said she was very pleased with the results of that
survey. In all rated categories from very poor to superior the
licensing staff of the ABC Board scored above average to
superior. In all rated categories from strongly disagree
to strongly agree in areas such as the investigator demonstrated
respect, the investigator explained the purpose of the visit,
the investigator was knowledgeable, the investigator was
professional and appropriate. The enforcement staff scored agree
to strongly agree and in one category rated from very poor to
superior - i.e. if the contact was in response to the licensee's
request and the process of getting the licensee's issue resolved
- the enforcement staff rated above average.
She said she was using the surveys as a tool to enhance the
abilities within the agency and has scheduled some service
excellence training; the first one is in Fairbanks in the first
week of February; the next one is in Anchorage and then one in
Juneau.
2:21:30 PM
MS. GIFFORD said that she is currently responding to one of the
questions where 65.4 percent of the respondents indicated that
no improvement was needed. But further down, some small
percentages indicated issues had to be explained several times,
the employee didn't know the answers to their questions or the
employee had to ask others. So she has instituted a reading of
Title 4 into staff meetings and discussion about what it means
and how it should be applied. It's a complicated title about
which they get frequent calls from attorneys asking for advice
on how to interpret.
She reported that they attained their goals of percentages in
all eight designated regions around the state and this is the
first time that has happened. It meant from FY2010 to FY2011
that they completed 104 additional compliance checks on licensed
establishments, and the compliance went up from 85 to 88
percent. They have a 95 percent compliance rate goal when
sending their underage buyers in to try to purchase alcohol that
the licensee or their employee doesn't make that sale. Fairbanks
and Juneau are at 93 percent and the MatSu Valley is at 92
percent.
MS. GIFFORD said they are doing some educational efforts,
sending packets to all licensees with "born on" stickers and
calendars and a CHARR brochure. They answer questions daily by
phone and email to licenses so they can do what they are
supposed to do - not to sell to underage persons, which is their
biggest goal.
CHAIR EGAN said there was a lot of discussion last year about
sending folks out for compliance checks who are under 21 years
old and there were concerns that sending under-age people was
breaking the law.
MS. GIFFORD responded that the law allows for them to employ
under-age persons if they are under the supervision of a law
enforcement officer.
2:25:40 PM
THOR STACEY, lobbyist, Alaska Professional Hunters Association,
Juneau, affirmed their support of SB 155, specifically the
reauthorization of the Big Game and Commercial Services Board.
2:26:54 PM
BOB SWENSON, State Geologist and Director, State Geological and
Geophysical Surveys, Department of Natural Resources (DNR),
testified that the State Seismic Hazards Commission is an
important part of the process of seismic safety in the state.
The State Geologic Survey provides administrative support for
this organization, and it also identifies hazards from the
geologic perspective. The Homeland Security group for the state
looks at mitigation from the public safety standpoint and the
Seismic Safety Commission provides information for building
safety and legislative policy advice for improving the safety of
buildings and infrastructure within the state.
2:27:52 PM
SENATOR PASKVAN asked the status of recommendation number four,
filling the appointments.
MR. SWENSON replied all the audit recommendations have been
addressed except for the first one, their strategic plan.
SENATOR MENARD asked a general question on best practices for
boards and commissions when members are causing a problem by
being habitually absent. Does he put out a message to all staff
in the building to find out who is interested in serving on a
board? Is it acceptable practice to bring forward a name that
wasn't accepted but was well thought of in the industry that
could serve as a good person to be on a board?
2:30:07 PM
MR. SWENSON replied that he is not the one to answer that, but
it's often difficult to find qualified people with the necessary
background to serve on the Seismic Hazards Commission.
2:31:09 PM
SENATOR PASKVAN said recommendation two for the Board of Barbers
and Hairdressers seems to be somewhat critical and asked the
status. It says the current public board member should either
surrender her license or be removed from the public board member
position. It seems to be a pretty stark assessment of a
particular person on that board.
2:31:38 PM
DON HABEGER, Director, Division of Corporations, Business and
Professional Licensing, Department of Commerce, Community and
Economic Development (DCCED), replied that license was
surrendered and a replacement was sought, but he wasn't familiar
with the timing.
SENATOR MENARD asked if that meant the position had been filled.
MR. HABEGAR replied that he believed so, but would get back to
the committee about it.
SENATOR GIESSEL thanked the committee for hearing this issue so
expeditiously on behalf of the licensees of the four boards that
were not renewed last year and are facing sunset.
SENATOR GIESSEL moved to report SB 155, version B, from
committee with individual recommendations and attached fiscal
note(s). There were no objections and it was so ordered.
At ease from 2:33:54 to 2:35:32 p.m.
2:35:32 PM
CHAIR EGAN called the meeting back to order and adjourned at
2:35 p.m.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| SB 155 Enrolled HB 126.PDF |
SL&C 1/31/2012 1:30:00 PM |
HB 126 SB 155 |
| SB 155 Parnell Veto msg HB 126.PDF |
SL&C 1/31/2012 1:30:00 PM |
HB 126 SB 155 |
| SB 155.PDF |
SL&C 1/31/2012 1:30:00 PM |
SB 155 |
| SB 155 Sponsor Statement.PDF |
SL&C 1/31/2012 1:30:00 PM |
SB 155 |
| SB 155 Sectional Analysis.PDF |
SL&C 1/31/2012 1:30:00 PM |
SB 155 |
| SB155-DNR-DGGS-01-27-12.pdf |
SL&C 1/31/2012 1:30:00 PM |
SB 155 |
| SB 155 Leg Audit Bd of Barbers and Hairdressers.PDF |
SL&C 1/31/2012 1:30:00 PM |
SB 155 |
| SB 155 Leg Audit Board of Nursing.PDF |
SL&C 1/31/2012 1:30:00 PM |
SB 155 |
| SB 155 Leg Audit ABC Board.PDF |
SL&C 1/31/2012 1:30:00 PM |
SB 155 |
| SB 155 Leg Audit Board of Dental Examiners.PDF |
SL&C 1/31/2012 1:30:00 PM |
SB 155 |
| SB 155 Leg Audit Big Game Commercial Services Board.PDF |
SL&C 1/31/2012 1:30:00 PM |
SB 155 |
| SB 155 Leg Audit Alaska Seismic Hazards Safety Commission.PDF |
SL&C 1/31/2012 1:30:00 PM |
SB 155 |
| CS SB150 (STA) memo of changes.pdf |
SL&C 1/31/2012 1:30:00 PM |
SB 150 |
| SB150-DOL-Fiscal Note-1-20-12.pdf |
SL&C 1/31/2012 1:30:00 PM |
SB 150 |