Legislature(1997 - 1998)
02/25/1997 03:35 PM Senate STA
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* first hearing in first committee of referral
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+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
SENATE STATE AFFAIRS COMMITTEE
February 25, 1997
3:35 P.M.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Senator Lyda Green, Chairman
Senator Jerry Ward, Vice-Chairman
Senator Mike Miller
MEMBERS ABSENT
Senator Jerry Mackie
Senator Jim Duncan
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
SENATE BILL NO. 77
"An Act relating to the Alaska Day of Prayer."
- MOVED SB 77 OUT OF COMMITTEE
CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 2(FIN)
"An Act allowing, for the purposes of permanent fund dividend
eligibility, an individual to accompany, as the spouse or minor or
disabled dependent, another eligible resident who is absent for any
of the following reasons: vocational, professional, or other
specific education for which a comparable program is not reasonably
available in the state; secondary or postsecondary education;
military service; medical treatment; service in the Congress or in
the peace corps; to care for the individual's terminally ill
parent, spouse, sibling, child, or stepchild; for up to 220 days to
settle the estate of the individual's deceased parent, spouse,
sibling, child, or stepchild; to care for a parent, spouse,
sibling, child, or stepchild with a critical life-threatening
illness whose treatment plan, as recommended by the attending
physician, requires travel outside of the state for treatment at a
medical specialty complex; or other reasons that the commissioner
of revenue may establish by regulation; requiring, for the purposes
of permanent fund dividend eligibility, a state resident to have
the intent to remain indefinitely; relating to the eligibility for
1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, and 1997 permanent fund dividends of
certain spouses and dependents of eligible applicants; and
providing for an effective date."
- MOVED CSHB2(FIN) OUT OF COMMITTEE
CS FOR SENATE BILL NO. 75(L&C)
"An Act relating to the regulation of accountants; and providing
for an effective date."
- MOVED CSSB75(STA) OUT OF COMMITTEE
SENATE BILL NO. 4
"An Act relating, for purposes of eligibility for a permanent fund
dividend, to an absence from the state while on an unpaid
sabbatical under the longevity bonus program; and providing for an
effective date."
- SCHEDULED, BUT NOT HEARD
PREVIOUS SENATE COMMITTEE ACTION
SB 77 - No previous action to consider.
HB 2 - See State Affairs Committee minutes dated 2/20/97.
SB 75 - See Labor and Commerce Committee minutes dated 2/11/97.
SB 4 - See State Affairs Committee minutes dated 2/20/97.
WITNESS REGISTER
Mr. Joe Ambrose, Staff
Senator Robin Taylor
State Capitol Bldg.
Juneau, AK 99811-1182
POSITION STATEMENT: Commented on SB 77.
Mr. Scott Hamann
P.O. Box 934
Kenai, AK 99611
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported SB 77.
Ms. Virginia Phillips
404 Lake St., 2-D
Sitka, AK 99835
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported SB 77.
Mr. Tim Benintendi, Staff
Senator Tim Kelly
State Capitol Bldg.
Juneau, AK 99811-1182
POSITION STATEMENT: Read sponsor statement to SB 75.
Mr. Charles Griffin
P.O. Box 670
Palmer, AK 99645
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported SB 75.
Mr. Brad Shaffer
429 Katlian St.
Sitka, AK 99835
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported SB 75.
Ms. Catherine Reardon, Director
Division of Occupational Licensing
Department of Commerce and Economic Development
P.O. Box 110806
Juneau, AK 99811-0806
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported SB 75.
ACTION NARRATIVE
TAPE 97-5, SIDE A
Number 001
SB 77 ALASKA DAY OF PRAYER
CHAIRMAN GREEN called the Senate State Affairs Committee to order
at 3:35 p.m. and brought up SB 77 as the first order of business.
MR. JOE AMBROSE, staff to Senator Taylor, prime sponsor, said the
first Thursday in May is the national day of prayer as recognized
by Congress. Passage of SB 77 would establish the first Thursday
of May as a corresponding state day of prayer in Alaska. He quoted
Thomas Jefferson who said, "A man's natural right to religious
expression is not in opposition to his political function."
Number 47
MR. SCOTT HAMANN said he strongly supported this bill.
MS. VIRGINIA PHILLIPS testified that she supported SB 77. Many
states have such legislation and other states are considering it.
Only concerted prayer can overcome the problems of the Alaskan
elderly, multiple abortions, low high-school graduation rates,
violence, and lack of funds and help us to enter the new century
with pride.
Number 107
SENATOR MILLER moved to pass SB 77 from committee with individual
recommendations. There were no objections and it was so ordered.
HB 2 PERMANENT FUND DIVIDEND ELIGIBILITY
CHAIRMAN GREEN announced CS HB 2(FIN) to be up for consideratio
SENATOR WARD moved to pass CSHB 2(FIN) from committee with
individual recommendations and attached fiscal notes. There were
no objections and it was so ordered.
SB 75 REGULATION OF ACCOUNTANTS
CHAIRMAN GREEN announced SB 75 to be up for consideration.
SENATOR MILLER moved to adopt the Lauterbach 2/18/97 B version of
SB 75. There were no objections and it was so ordered.
Number 140
MR. TIM BENINTENDI, staff to Senator Kelly, said that SB 75 would
change the application criteria for those taking the Alaska CPA
examination which is given every May and November. It would not
change the test itself, or the licensing criteria.
SB 75 is needed because there have been dramatic increases in the
number of foreign non-resident applicants who have recently come to
Alaska to take the test. Many of those applicants have no
accounting background and do not live or practice in Alaska.
Concerns have arisen for the integrity of Alaska's exam process and
for the security of the exam itself. Currently Alaska's criteria
for the application process is the lowest in the country and merely
requires a baccalaureate degree in any field. MR. BENINTENDI
referenced last year's numbers for applicants: 75 - 100 test takers
compared to 507 in this past November alone.
The costs of exams are designed to break even. SB 75 requires a
minimum of academic course work in college level accounting, one
year of public accounting experience under the direct supervision
of a CPA, or the near-completion of a degree in accounting.
MR. BENINTENDI said that Section 2 of the bill addresses an
unrelated issue but it is an issue that must be resolved in
statute. Section 2 allows the professional use of a designation
"EA" by enrolled agents, those unlicensed accountants or tax
practitioners enrolled by the IRS to engage in tax-related
business.
SB 75 is supported by the State Board of Accountancy, the Society
of CPAs, and the Alaska Society of Independent Accountants.
Number 195
SENATOR GREEN asked how the changes will affect foreign applicants.
MR. BENINTENDI explained most foreign applicants don't have a
background in accounting. Instituting the new requirements will
remove casual applicants from the market.
Number 212
MR. CHUCK GRIFFIN, a Palmer CPA, said he has served on the State
Board of Public Accountancy for seven years. As a result of the
burden placed on the Board of Accountancy and the administrative
staff at the Division of Occupational Licensing, he requested this
bill from Senator Kelly. He supported Mr. Benintendi's testimony
and said no one wants to take anything away from any foreign
candidates who have passed parts of the examination under prior
standards. Those applicants would be able to continue the testing
process.
MR. BRAD SHAFFER said he supported SB 75 as amended.
Number 266
MS CATHERINE REARDON, Director, Division of Occupational Licensing,
said she supported SB 75.
SENATOR WARD moved to pass CSSB 75(STA) from committee with
individual recommendations with the accompanying $0 fiscal notes.
There were no objections and it was so ordered.
CHAIRMAN GREEN adjourned the meeting at 3:53 p.m.
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