HB 279-EXTEND: REAL ESTATE COMMISSION                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
1:06:08 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR KITO  announced that  the next order  of business  would be                                                               
HOUSE BILL NO. 279 "An Act  extending the termination date of the                                                               
Real Estate Commission; and providing for an effective date."                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
1:06:23 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MEGAN  HOLLAND,  Staff,  Representative  Andy  Josephson,  Alaska                                                               
State Legislature, introduced HB  279 on behalf of Representative                                                               
Josephson, prime  sponsor.   She stated  the proposed  bill would                                                               
extend  the termination  date of  the Real  Estate Commission  by                                                               
eight years as recommended by LB&A.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
1:06:48 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  KITO  stated  public  testimony  was  still  open  from  a                                                               
previous hearing on HB 279.   Upon ascertaining that there was no                                                               
one available for public testimony, he closed public testimony.                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
1:07:22 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  BIRCH  spoke to  the  concerns  of a  constituent                                                               
regarding the responsiveness and  transparency of the commission.                                                               
He asked whether  there had been complaints leveled  and how they                                                               
had been addressed.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
MS. HOLLAND deferred to the commission.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
1:08:30 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
TRACI   BARICKMAN,  Chair,   Real  Estate   Commission,  answered                                                               
questions in the  hearing on HB 279.  She  asked for the question                                                               
to be restated.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  BIRCH  spoke to  the  issues  of transparency  in                                                               
commission  meetings  brought  forward   in  a  letter  from  his                                                               
constituent.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MS. BARICKMAN  answered there is  a process for  complaints which                                                               
go  through  the  investigative  unit and  not  directly  to  the                                                               
commission, so it would not  be appropriate for the commission to                                                               
hear a complaint in a public meeting.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE BIRCH reiterated the process.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MS. BARICKMAN answered  she could not speak to  the specific case                                                               
but confirmed his understanding of the process was correct.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
1:10:41 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SARAH  CHAMBERS,  Deputy   Director,  Division  of  Corporations,                                                               
Business,  &   Professional  Licensing  (DCBPL),   Department  of                                                               
Commerce,  Community  &  Economic Development  (DCCED),  answered                                                               
questions in  the hearing on HB  279.  She stated  the department                                                               
was familiar  with the letter, but  it had been determined  to be                                                               
non-jurisdictional.   The constituent had been  contacted and had                                                               
attended a  commission meeting.   She  offered her  assistance to                                                               
the constituent.                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
1:12:43 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE JOSEPHSON moved to report  HB 279 out of committee                                                               
with  individual  recommendations  and  the  accompanying  fiscal                                                               
notes.  There being no objection, it was so ordered.