CS FOR SENATE BILL NO. 69(FIN) "An Act relating to the Board of Chiropractic Examiners and the practice of chiropractic." 9:09:24 AM BRANDON BREFCYNSKI, STAFF, SENATOR BILL STOLTZE, explained that the bill had been brought forward by the Board of Chiropractic Examiners and the Alaska Chiropractic Society. State chiropractic laws had not been updated since 1988; the bill was intended to clarify and modernize the associated statutes. The bill addressed the training and utilization of chiropractic clinical assistants, interns, and preceptors. Additionally, the bill would strengthen and clarify law allowing chiropractors to perform school physicals. The legislation would also revise penalties for fraudulent practices, updated definitions, and modernized terminology. Representative Wilson referred to the explanation of bill changes, which she believed contained an error. She referred to the explanation that the bill reinstated provisions requiring chiropractors to perform physical examinations (Section 2, page 2). She asked for verification that the bill would allow chiropractors to perform examinations, but not require it. Mr. Brefcynski replied in the affirmative. He noted that it may have been a drafting error. Vice-Chair Saddler asked who would be covered by the bill. Mr. Brefcynski deferred the question to a representative from the Board of Chiropractic Examiners. 9:11:41 AM DR. EDWARD BARRINGTON, BOARD OF CHIROPRACTIC EXAMINERS, JUNEAU, provided information about his professional background. He relayed that the Board of Chiropractic Examiners and the Chiropractic Society supported the bill. Vice-Chair Saddler asked how many people were employed in chiropractic clinical assistants, interns, and preceptors. Mr. Barrington answered that there were currently no statistics available because the positions were not regulated. Typically a person was trained in a chiropractic office. There were programs in chiropractic colleges and there was a national board examination for chiropractic clinical assistants. An intern was a chiropractic student who had passed all of their graduation requirements and may have graduated, but was waiting for a board examination in a particular state and who may want to gain clinical experience. The preceptor supervised the intern. Currently, there were chiropractic colleges wanting to place interns in Alaska, but they required enabling language in Alaska law. He explained that clinical assistants would be regulated much like medical assistants. There was public interest in the endeavor and there had been third-party inquiries from insurance companies about the qualifications of people working with their insureds directly. Representative Munoz asked if chiropractors had prescriptive authority in Alaska. Mr. Barrington answered that chiropractors did not have prescriptive authority over pharmaceutical substances; they did have prescription over exercise and nutrition. Co-Chair Thompson noted other individuals available for questions. Co-Chair Thompson OPENED and CLOSED public testimony. Vice-Chair Saddler addressed the fiscal note from the Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development. The note reflected a cost of $2,500 in FY 17 and no position changes. 9:16:30 AM Representative Gattis remarked that she had received comments from chiropractors in her district who saw the legislation as a helpful cleanup bill. She hoped the bill was reported out. Co-Chair Thompson agreed that the bill was to help industry. Representative Wilson asked about the fiscal note. She did not recall that there was typically a charge to the boards for rewriting regulation and for printing and postage. She asked if the practice was normal. JANEY HOVENDEN, DIRECTOR, DIVISION OF CORPORATIONS, BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL LICENSING, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, replied that typically all expenses for a profession were charged back to licensees. The $2,500 fiscal note would be paid for by licensees of the chiropractic program. Representative Wilson asked for verification that every time the department made changes to any of the boards (even if the change did not come at the board's request) it was charged to the board. Ms. Hovenden replied in the affirmative. Vice-Chair Saddler MOVED to REPORT CSSB 69(FIN) out of committee with individual recommendations and the accompanying fiscal note. CSSB 69(FIN) was REPORTED out of committee with a "do pass" recommendation and with one previously published fiscal note: FN2 (CED). 9:19:11 AM AT EASE 9:20:26 AM RECONVENED Co-Chair Thompson addressed the schedule for the afternoon meeting. He recessed the meeting to a call of the chair [note: the meeting never reconvened].