Legislature(2019 - 2020)BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)
02/28/2019 01:30 PM Senate LABOR & COMMERCE
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| Confirmation Hearing(s): | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
SENATE LABOR AND COMMERCE STANDING COMMITTEE
February 28, 2019
1:31 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Senator Lora Reinbold, Chair
Senator Mia Costello, Vice Chair
Senator Click Bishop
Senator Chris Birch
Senator Elvi Gray-Jackson
MEMBERS ABSENT
All members present
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
CONFIRMATION HEARING(S):
Board of Psychologists and Psychological Associate Examiners Dr.
Dr. Matthew Dammeyer - Soldotna
CONFIRMATION ADVANCED
Real Estate Commission
Jesse Sumner - Wasilla
Michael Tavoliero - Eagle River
CONFIRMATION(S) ADVANCED
Board of Examiners in Optometry
Dr. Bradley Cross - Soldotna
CONFIRMATION ADVANCED
Workers' Compensation Board
Randy Beltz - Anchorage
Bob Doyle - Wasilla
CONFIRMATION(S) ADVANCED
Board of Marital & Family Therapy
Noah Shields - Soldotna
CONFIRMATION ADVANCED
Occupational Safety and Health Review Board
Vincent Perez - Wasilla
CONFIRMATION ADVANCED
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
No previous action to record
WITNESS REGISTER
MATTHEW DAMMEYER, Ph.D., Appointee
Board of Psychologists and Psychological Associate Examiners
Division of Corporations, Business, and Professional Licensing
Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development
Soldotna, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified as appointee to the Board of
Psychologists and Psychological Associate Examiners.
JESSE SUMNER, Appointee
Real Estate Commission
Division of Corporations, Business, and Professional Licensing
Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development
Wasilla, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified as appointee to the Real Estate
Commission.
MICHAEL TAVOLIERO, Appointee
Real Estate Commission
Division of Corporations, Business, and Professional Licensing
Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development
Eagle River, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified as appointee to the Real Estate
Commission.
BRADLEY CROSS, OD; Appointee
Board of Examiners in Optometry
Division of Corporations, Business, and Professional Licensing
Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development
Soldotna, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified as appointee to the Board of
Examiners in Optometry.
RANDY BELTZ, Appointee
Workers' Compensation Board
Department of Labor and Workforce Development (DOLWD)
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified as appointee to the Workers'
Compensation Board.
BOB DOYLE, Appointee
Workers' Compensation Board
Department of Labor and Workforce Development (DOLWD)
Wasilla, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified as appointee to the Workers'
Compensation Board.
NOAH SHIELDS, Appointee
Board of Marital & Family Therapy
Division of Corporations, Business, and Professional Licensing
Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development
Kenai, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified as appointee to the Board of
Marital & Family Therapy.
VINCENT PEREZ, Appointee
Occupational Safety and Health Review Board
Department of Administration (DOA)
Wasilla, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified as appointee to the Occupational
Safety and Health Review Board.
ACTION NARRATIVE
1:31:46 PM
CHAIR LORA REINBOLD called the Senate Labor and Commerce
Standing Committee meeting to order at 1:31 p.m. Present at the
call to order were Senators Costello, Gray-Jackson, Bishop,
Birch and Chair Reinbold.
^CONFIRMATION HEARING(S):
CONFIRMATION HEARING(S):
Board of Psychologists and Psychological Associate Examiners
Real Estate Commission
Board of Examiners in Optometry
Workers' Compensation Board
Board of Marital & Family Therapy
Occupational Safety and Health Review Board
1:32:21 PM
CHAIR REINBOLD announced that the only order of business would
be Confirmation Hearings for appointees to the Board of
Psychologists and Psychological Associate Examiners, Real Estate
Commission, Board of Examiners in Optometry, Workers'
Compensation Board, Board of Marital & Family Therapy, and
Occupational Safety and Health Review Board.
1:33:34 PM
MATTHEW DAMMEYER, Ph.D., Appointee, Board of Psychologists and
Psychological Associate Examiners, Division of Corporations,
Business, and Professional Licensing, Department of Commerce,
Community and Economic Development (DCCED), stated he is a
clinical psychologist and has a consulting firm, M2Consulting.
He related that for the past 15 years he has worked in a
hospital setting. As part of their ethical principles,
psychologists have a responsibility to contribute time to
professional activities with little or no compensation or
personal advantage. He said he now has time to do so, which is
why he would like to serve.
1:34:41 PM
CHAIR REINBOLD opened public testimony and after ascertaining no
one wished to testify, closed public testimony on the
confirmation hearing for Matthew Dammeyer, Board of
Psychologists and Psychological Associate Examiners.
1:35:09 PM
SENATOR BIRCH thanked him for his interest and engagement. He
related that the Alaska Psychiatric Institute will reopen under
private management. He noted from his resume that he has a
background serving on the municipal Methamphetamine Task Force.
He asked him to share his thoughts and ways the legislature can
assist.
DR. DAMMEYER said he recently gave a talk to the Alaska State
Hospital and Nursing Home Association (ASHNHA). Prior to moving
to Alaska 20 years ago, he worked in critical capacities in four
other states. Most state hospitals do not function the way API
does, he said. He explained that API is used in a stabilizing
manner rather than to focus on the most acute, most difficult
forensic cases. He offered his belief that patients are sent to
API when acute care hospitals could probably do a better job.
Some of the problems that API has struggled with stem from
hospitals not being very responsive, he said. He noted that he
has worked in an acute care hospital for the last 15 years in
Alaska. He said he thought that perhaps this might be the moment
to really shift the model of care by better caring for patients
in their local communities, by referring fewer patients to a
system that simply cannot absorb 800-1,000 patients per year.
That is not a typical state hospital system, he said.
REPRESENTATIVE BIRCH thanked him for his interest in serving.
1:37:57 PM
CHAIR REINBOLD expressed her interest in addressing sexual
assault and any correlation to drug use, such as methamphetamine
use.
DR. DAMMEYER said he finished his training at the Medical
University of South Carolina and worked at the National Crime
Victims Research and Treatment Center (NCVRTC) in Charleston,
South Carolina. He considered the NCVRTC to be the leading
research lab in the country for PTSD [Post Traumatic Stress
Syndrome], affiliated with the Department of Psychiatry. In the
late 1990s they conducted what has been considered the best
study to determine what comes first, substance abuse that is
leading to trauma and PTSD or if people exposed to trauma suffer
from PTSD and are led to use substances to mitigate their
discomfort. He characterized it as a double-bladed sword study,
in which the study found causal pathways in both directions. In
other words, those with an anxiety disorder have a significantly
higher incidence of being affected by a sexual assault. And vice
versa, people who suffer through sexual assaults are much more
likely to use drug and alcohol use to mitigate their discomfort.
He recalled about 4,000 people were involved in the study.
Unfortunately, in Alaska both sectors occur and Alaska struggles
with a lack of clinicians to address the challenges.
1:40:39 PM
CHAIR REINBOLD requested a copy of the research study for the
committee.
1:41:50 PM
JESSE SUMNER, Appointee, Real Estate Commission, Division of
Corporations, Business, and Professional Licensing, Department
of Commerce, Community and Economic Development (DCCED), said
that he also serves on the Mat-Su Borough Assembly and
previously served on the Mat-Su Planning Commission for the City
of Wasilla. He related his interest in serving on the commission
is to work on regulations. For example, he would like to work on
the situation in which real estate agents pay very substantial
percentages of their commission to non-realtors in the form of
finder fees. Essentially, agents are paying commissions to
individuals or businesses who are not licensed in real estate.
In other instances, real estate agents with exclusive marketing
agreements may not be acting in their clients' best interest, he
said. He offered his belief that he can really contribute, given
his experiences as a homebuilder who has used licensed real
estate agents to buy and sell homes.
1:44:11 PM
SENATOR COSTELLO thanked him for his willingness to serve.
MR. SUMNER briefly reviewed his background, stating that he has
a degree in physics from the University of California Santa
Barbara, which is not on the resume in members' packets. He said
he is the president of Sumner Homes and Alaska Mechanical
Solutions, with a 51 percent ownership in each business. He is a
homebuilder in the Mat-Su Valley, and he works primarily in
Eagle River. He said that most of his jobs have been in the
construction industry. In response to Chair Reinbold, He offered
to provide an updated resume to the committee.
1:46:23 PM
SENATOR BIRCH thanked him for his interest in serving on the
commission. He said that he will bring a lot to the commission
with his construction experience and exposure to the market.
1:47:34 PM
MICHAEL TAVOLIERO, Appointee, Eagle River, Real Estate
Commission, Division of Corporations, Business, and Professional
Licensing, Department of Commerce, Community and Economic
Development (DCCED), said he has been a real estate licensee
since 2008 and is also an associate broker. He said his interest
in serving is to change the way the commission does business.
The previous appointee mentioned some issues related to
unlicensed activity, which is in violation of state law. He
expressed concern that 500 licensees chose not to renew. He
likened it to losing 20-30 years of industry experience and he
would like to learn the reason. He characterized these licensees
as small boutique licensees who served the public very well. He
also expressed concern about the current real estate surety fund
[renamed the Real Estate Recovery Fund in 2008], which was
established to address issues, protect consumers, and avoid
small claims court. He offered his belief that the fund balance
was established at $500,000 but has eroded to about $240,000. He
expressed concern that the fund appears to be used to cover
expenses, staff salaries, and commission travel.
He offered his goal in serving is to improve the standards that
the commission operates under and provide better protection for
the public.
1:50:32 PM
CHAIR REINBOLD opened public testimony and after ascertaining no
one wished to testify, closed public testimony on the
confirmation hearing for Jesse Sumner and Michael Tavoliero,
appointees to the Real Estate Commission.
CHAIR REINBOLD said she knows Mr. Tavoliero personally and she
identified his strength as community involvement. She said she
thinks that he will bring a lot of skills to the commission.
1:51:59 PM
BRADLEY CROSS, OD; Appointee, Board of Examiners in Optometry,
Division of Corporations, Business, and Professional Licensing,
Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development
(DCCED), said he wants to serve on the board to continue to work
on issues, including legislation, to help protect the public and
provide the highest scope of care, yet not overstep the
boundaries.
He said secondly, he would like to protect the profession of
optometry, to ensure the board is doing its best for new
licensees. He also wanted to ensure that optometrists are using
updated current practices through continuing education
requirements. He said that the prior board has done a great job
rewriting statutes and regulations pertaining to the profession.
He anticipated one upcoming issue is telemedicine and the role
it will play in optometry. He expressed concern that some
doctors are not on site but use videoconferencing. However,
there are benefits to being in the room with a three-dimensional
view when conducting exams or providing treatment. He was unsure
that having a technician with a two-dimensional patient exam
format was the best setting at this time. He said the
prescription drug management program has added educational
requirements for those [practitioners who are licensed for
prescription authority under the Drug Enforcement
Administration]. He acknowledged that it is relatively rare in
optometry to use narcotics or heavy doses of Schedule III or IV
narcotics. However, he would like to ensure that Alaska's
statutes and regulations are on par with other states.
1:55:37 PM
SENATOR GRAY-JACKSON thanked him for his email since it
demonstrated his eagerness to serve. She wished him well.
1:56:14 PM
CHAIR REINBOLD opened public testimony, and after ascertaining
no one wished to testify, closed public testimony on the
confirmation hearing for Bradley Cross, appointee to the Board
of Examiners in Optometry.
CHAIR REINBOLD stated that she opposed a bill that passed the
legislature to allow optometrists to perform surgery. She asked
him to watch for any issues with regard to optometrists
performing surgery.
MR. CROSS said that he shared similar concerns about that issue.
1:57:42 PM
RANDY BELTZ, Appointee, Workers' Compensation Board, Department
of Labor and Workforce Development (DOLWD), stated he serves as
manager and business development manager for North Star
Equipment Services, an affiliate of North Star Terminal and
Stevedore. He related that his willingness to serve is to give
back to his state and community. He serves on other boards and
commissions. Now that he is no longer coaching baseball, he has
more time to commit. This board seems like a good fit for him,
he said. He brings integrity, impartiality, independent
thinking, compassion, and a wide breadth of business management
and work-place experience to help settle disputes to the board,
he said.
1:58:59 PM
SENATOR BIRCH thanked him for his interest in serving.
1:59:50 PM
SENATOR BISHOP asked whether he could identify any top goals or
accomplishments for the Workers' Compensation Board.
MR. BELTZ answered that he does not have any specific goals in
mind but will bring his experience to any issues or disputes
that arise.
2:01:24 PM
CHAIR REINBOLD said she graduated from East High School and
noticed Mr. Doyle coached baseball at that school.
CHAIR REINBOLD said she gets lots of complaints about workers'
compensation issues. She asked whether he was willing to listen
to business owners and have an open mind on workers'
compensation issues. She reported that Alaska ranks as one of
the states with the highest workers' compensation costs.
MR. BELTZ answered yes.
CHAIR REINBOLD related that the Anchorage Chamber of Commerce
has made workers' compensation reform one of their biggest
priorities, that a bill will come before the committee. She
asked him to carefully review it.
MR. BELTZ agreed to do so.
2:03:31 PM
BOB DOYLE, Appointee, Workers' Compensation Board, Department of
Labor and Workforce Development (DOLWD), said he has lived in
the state since 1968. He graduated from East High and has lived
in the valley since 1982. He stated he has worked in public
schools for 31 years and spent the last few years as
superintendent. He stated that he served as the assistant
superintendent of finance and ran self-insurance programs to
lower the costs of health insurance and workers' compensation.
He said that both were fully funded programs that saved money
for classrooms. In the late 90s, the self-insurance costs were
$4,500 per employee, which is why the district moved to self-
insure.
He acknowledged some things could be done to lower costs for
employers. He also related he has reviewed the Chamber of
Commerce's PowerPoint. Yesterday, he observed one of the
hearings on a case before the Workers' Compensation Board that
has been ongoing for three years. When the case finally went to
mediation, prior to the hearing, it settled. He said he would
like to see more mediation happen early to provide fairness to
the employer and the employee.
2:05:45 PM
CHAIR REINBOLD opened public testimony and after ascertaining no
one wished to testify, closed public testimony on the
confirmation hearing for Randy Beltz and Bob Doyle, appointees
to the Workers' Compensation Board.
MR. DOYLE thanked the committee.
2:07:04 PM
NOAH SHIELDS, Appointee, Board of Marital & Family Therapy,
Division of Corporations, Business, and Professional Licensing,
Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development
(DCCED), stated that he is a licensed marital and family
therapist, a licensed professional counselor, and a registered
play therapist. He owns Foundations Family Resource Center and
he serves as president of SouthCentral Parenting, a non-profit
organization that provides parenting classes on the Kenai
Peninsula. He said that he is a lifelong Alaskan. He has had
prior board experience and currently serves on the Alaska
Association for Play Therapy Board. He has practiced family and
marital therapy in Alaska for 10 years in private practice and a
community mental health setting. He said he feels knowledgeable
about this board's function. He looks forward to bringing his
experience to assist his profession and the board.
2:08:22 PM
CHAIR REINBOLD remarked on his numerous certifications, which
she felt would be helpful in dealing with issues related to
Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault.
2:09:07 PM
CHAIR REINBOLD opened public testimony and after ascertaining no
one wished to testify, closed public testimony on the
confirmation hearing for Noah Shields, appointee to the Board of
Marital & Family Therapy.
2:09:23 PM
CHAIR REINBOLD thanked him for his willingness to serve.
2:09:53 PM
VINCENT PEREZ, Appointee, Occupational Safety and Health Review
Board, Department of Administration (DOA), said that he was a
member of the Alaska Safety Advisory Council for two years. He
currently serves as chair of the Safety Steering Committee for
the Northwest Public Power Association. He said he looks forward
to serving on this board to give the employer an opportunity to
plead their case. He stated that the enforcement agency
sometimes looks at the "letter of the law," but not the intent
of the law. He said he has lived in Alaska since 1997, his four
children have thrived here, and he hopes to remain here.
2:11:37 PM
SENATOR GRAY-JACKSON said he was appointed to serve in the
industry seat. She noticed he serves as the health and safety
director for the Municipal Light and Power. She acknowledged
that she spent four years working for that organization. She
asked whether he will hold the position after the consolidation
with Chugach Electric.
MR. PEREZ responded that he just met with his counterpart at
Chugach Electric. He related that they will share the
responsibilities due to the size of the organizations.
2:12:56 PM
CHAIR REINBOLD opened public testimony and after ascertaining no
one wished to testify, closed public testimony on the
confirmation hearing for Vincent Perez, appointee to the
Occupational Safety and Health Review Board.
2:13:23 PM
CHAIR REINBOLD thanked him for his willingness to serve. She
said she thought he will bring experience to the table.
2:14:18 PM
CHAIR REINBOLD stated that in accordance with AS 39.05.080, the
Senate Labor and Commerce Standing Committee reviewed the
following and recommends the appointments be forwarded to a
joint session for consideration:
Board of Psychologists and Psychological Associate Examiners:
Dr. Matthew Dammeyer - Soldotna
Real Estate Commission:
Jesse Sumner - Wasilla
Michael Tavoliero - Eagle River
Board of Examiners in Optometry:
Dr. Bradley Cross - Soldotna
Workers' Compensation Board:
Randy Beltz - Anchorage
Bob Doyle -Wasilla
Board of Marital & Family Therapy:
Noah Shields - Soldotna
Occupational Safety and Health Review Board:
Vincent Perez - Wasilla
CHAIR REINBOLD reminded members that signing the reports
regarding appointments to boards and commissions in no way
reflects individual members' approval or disapproval of the
appointees; the nominations are merely forwarded to the full
legislature for confirmation or rejection.
2:14:59 PM
CHAIR REINBOLD reviewed committee announcements.
2:15:33 PM
There being no further business to come before the committee,
adjourned the Senate Labor and Commerce Standing Committee
meeting at 2:15 p.m.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| L&C Optometry Board Resume - Cross.pdf |
SL&C 2/28/2019 1:30:00 PM |
Governor's Appointees to Boards and Commissions |
| L&C Psychologists and Psychological Associate Examiners Resume - Dammeyer.pdf |
SL&C 2/28/2019 1:30:00 PM |
Governor's Appointees to Boards and Commissions |
| L&C Marital and Family Therapy Board Resume - Shields.pdf |
SL&C 2/28/2019 1:30:00 PM |
Governor's Appointees to Boards and Commissions |
| L&C Workers Compensation Board Resume - Beltz.pdf |
SL&C 2/28/2019 1:30:00 PM |
Governor's Appointees to Boards and Commissions |
| L&C Occupational Safety and Health Review Board Resume - Perez.pdf |
SL&C 2/28/2019 1:30:00 PM |
Governor's Appointees to Boards and Commissions |
| L&C Real Estate Commission Resume - Sumner.pdf |
SL&C 2/28/2019 1:30:00 PM |
Governor's Appointees to Boards and Commissions |
| L&C Workers Compensation Resume - Doyle.pdf |
SL&C 2/28/2019 1:30:00 PM |
Governor's Appointees to Boards and Commissions |
| L&C Real Estate Commission Resume - Tavoliero.pdf |
SL&C 2/28/2019 1:30:00 PM |
Governor's Appointees to Boards and Commissions |