CS FOR SENATE BILL NO. 51(FIN)                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     "An Act extending the termination date of the Board of                                                                     
     Veterinary Examiners; and providing for an effective                                                                       
     date."                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
1:46:01 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
KONRAD   JACKSON,   STAFF,   SENATOR  NATASHA   VON   IMHOF,                                                                    
introduced the legislation.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Representative Wilson asked //                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
TERESA BECK,  ALASKA BOARD  OF VETERINARY  EXAMINERS, PALMER                                                                    
(via  teleconference),   asked  for  clarification   on  the                                                                    
question.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Representative Wilson  clarified // the challenges  in rural                                                                    
areas.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Ms. Beck  answered // the  veterinarians in that area  had a                                                                    
very unique role //                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Wilson wanted  to  ensure it  was on  record                                                                    
that she had  received quite a few comments  from the public                                                                    
//                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Foster   spoke  to  a  lack   of  availability  of                                                                    
veterinarians  in rural  Alaska. //  the highest  quality of                                                                    
veterinary service in the areas. He asked for detail.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
Ms. Beck  answered that the  board had discussed  the issue.                                                                    
She  elaborated  that  highly qualified  veterinarians  were                                                                    
needed to  do the  work. She characterized  the work  as "in                                                                    
the  trenches"  and  it  was  necessary  to  have  qualified                                                                    
individuals to provide  the services. It was  not prudent to                                                                    
have someone visit a community and leave right away.                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
1:52:52 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Representative    Guttenberg   referred    to   the    audit                                                                    
recommendation asking the  chair to be more  diligent in the                                                                    
annual audit //. He asked for detail.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
Ms.  Beck believed  it pertained  to a  clerical error.  She                                                                    
explained  detail about  the  situation. The  recommendation                                                                    
was for the board chair to review the document thoroughly.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Representative Guttenberg  asked if  Ms. Beck  was satisfied                                                                    
that the documents she received for review were aligned.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Ms. Beck  answered in the  affirmative. She detailed  // the                                                                    
licensing  office  had the  secretary  //  it was  easy  for                                                                    
clerical errors to occur. She was satisfied.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
1:55:13 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Foster OPENED and CLOSED public testimony.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
Vice-Chair  Gara   addressed  the   fiscal  note   from  the                                                                    
Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Representative Wilson pointed to page  2 of the fiscal note.                                                                    
She asked who paid for staff.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
JANEY   HOVENDEN,   DIRECTOR,  DIVISION   OF   CORPORATIONS,                                                                    
BUSINESS   AND   PROFESSIONAL   LICENSING,   DEPARTMENT   OF                                                                    
COMMERCE, COMMUNITY  AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT,  replied that                                                                    
the  program absorbed  the cost.  The program  paid for  the                                                                    
other  incidentals. The  cost was  directly associated  with                                                                    
the cost of the board.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Wilson understood  the cost  was related  to                                                                    
travel and  services. She  wondered why  the costs  would be                                                                    
put out. She thought it seemed all or none would be listed.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Ms. Hovenden answered // board related costs.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Wilson stated  //  would be  a reduction  of                                                                    
staff.  // She  provided a  scenario with  four boards  in a                                                                    
year // the board was paying for time. //                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
2:00:03 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Vice-Chair  Gara  asked  if  the  funding  for  the  receipt                                                                    
authority was in the operating budget.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Ms. Hovenden replied in the affirmative.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Representative Wilson  MOVED to  REPORT CSSB 51(FIN)  out of                                                                    
committee   with   individual    recommendations   and   the                                                                    
accompanying fiscal note.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
There being NO  OBJECTION, CSSB 51(FIN) was  REPORTED out of                                                                    
committee  with  a "do  pass"  recommendation  and with  one                                                                    
previously published fiscal impact note: FN1 (CED).