ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE  SENATE LABOR AND COMMERCE STANDING COMMITTEE  March 4, 2003 1:35 p.m. MEMBERS PRESENT Senator Con Bunde, Chair Senator Gary Stevens Senator Bettye Davis Senator Hollis French MEMBERS ABSENT  Senator Ralph Seekins, Vice Chair COMMITTEE CALENDAR    SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 7 Expressing support for Vancouver, British Columbia's, bid for the 2010 Olympic Winter Games and the Paralympic Winter Games. MOVED SJR 7 OUT OF COMMITTEE Confirmation Hearings: Board of Public Accountancy - Dan Kennedy, Laura Welles Alcohol Beverage Control Board - Michael Gordon Board of Registration for Architects, Engineers and Land Surveyors - Kimberly Mills and Robert Gilfilian Board of Barbers and Hairdressers - Diana L. Straub Board of Chiropractic Examiners - Sean C. Siegel Board of Marine Pilots - Captain David A. Anderson, Les Cronk and Robert Arts Personnel Board - Paulette M. Simpson Board of Certified Real Estate Appraisers - Steve McSwain Board of Veterinary Examiners - Dr. Timothy L. Bowser and Dr. James Morrison Workers Compensation Board - Sally Ann Carey, Dale R. Walaszek, Curtis Hall and Royce Rock CONFIRMATIONS ADVANCED PREVIOUS ACTION SJR 7 - No previous action to consider. WITNESS REGISTER    Mr. Richard Schmitz Aide to Senator Cowdery Alaska State Capitol Juneau, AK 99801-1182 POSITION STATEMENT: Supported SJR 7. ACTION NARRATIVE TAPE 03-8, SIDE A  SJR 7-VANCOUVER'S BID FOR 2010 WINTER GAMES  CHAIR CON BUNDE called the Senate Labor and Commerce Standing Committee meeting to order at 1:35 p.m. and announced SJR 7 to be up for consideration. MR. RICHARD SCHMITZ, staff to Senator Cowdery, said the purpose of SJR 7 is to express Alaska's support of the Canadian bid for the 2010 Winter Olympic and Winter Paralympic Games in Vancouver, British Columbia, and the resort community of Whistler, which is nearby. SJR 7 was introduced because it's a neighborly thing to do. In terms of a practical application, winter Olympic games are a tremendous economic engine for surrounding areas. CHAIR BUNDE said Alaska would be happy to receive the economic fallout that would come our way. SENATOR DAVIS moved SJR 7 from committee with individual recommendations and the attached zero fiscal note. There were no objections and it was so ordered. CONFIRMATION HEARINGS  CHAIR BUNDE called an at-ease from 1:40 to 1:42 p.m. Upon reconvening, he said the committee would next hold confirmation hearings. MS. SALLY ANN CAREY, nominee for the Workers Compensation Board, said that she would like to serve because it gives her a chance to give back some time and effort to Alaska. She has been involved with workers' compensation from an industry standpoint since 1968. She briefly reviewed her resume' for the committee. MS. PAULETTE SIMPSON, nominee for the Personnel Board, said she was pleased to be able to offer her time to serve on the board. SENATOR FRENCH asked her to explain what the Personnel Board does. MS. SIMPSON explained that it approves and disapproves amendments to personnel rules; it considers extensions of the partially exempt and classified service; and it hears appeals and complaints under the Alaska Executive Branch Ethics Act. SENATOR FRENCH asked her to explain how ethics issues come to the Personnel Board. MS. SIMPSON replied that they percolate up through the system from what she can tell. SENATOR FRENCH asked her for an example of the type of dispute the Personnel Board would hear. MS. SIMPSON replied that her actual knowledge of how things work is pretty limited, but she has reviewed board minutes. She said basically, someone from the Division of General Services might represent the state and explain why it wants to change a classification. The board hears and determines appeals by employees in the classified service. She didn't know if those issues come up very often. CHAIR BUNDE asked if the board position pays anything. MS. SIMPSON replied standard per diem. SENATOR FRENCH said her name came up in another hearing when Randy Ruedrich was talking about giving her the responsibilities for the day-to-day operation of the Republican Party. He asked if she knew he would be doing that and whether she thought that was right. MS. SIMPSON said the Republican Party of Alaska State Central Committee installed her as vice chair at its February 8 meeting. She explained: The duties that previously were the responsibility of Chairman Ruedrich, because of the bi-partisan campaign finance reform law - as of November 6, he could not perform those any more. So, those were transferred to the vice chair. So, that's correct. For the next 15 months I will be handling those. SENATOR FRENCH asked if an appeal came to her and there were some questions about whether she should be running the state party on one hand and hearing an appeal on the other, how she would decide which hat to wear. MS. SIMPSON replied that she would never consider applying for any board if she didn't think she could be utterly objective in her decision-making. SENATOR DAVIS asked how could she be objective if she was sitting in both capacities. MS. SIMPSON said she didn't see any conflict knowing the kinds of responsibilities she has taken on in the Republican Party. Those responsibilities have to do with state grass roots organization training of volunteers and fund raising at the local level. 1:52 p.m. CAPTAIN DAVID ANDERSON, nominee for the Board of Marine Pilots, said he is licensed in Alaska and would consider the matters that come before the board in a clear and objective manner. SENATOR GARY STEVENS asked where Region 1 is located. CAPTAIN ANDERSON replied Yakutat to South of Ketchikan. MR. STEVE McSWAIN, nominee for the Board of Real Estate Appraisers, said he is honored and pleased to serve. MR. MICHAEL GORDON, nominee for the Alcohol Beverage Control Board, said he originally came to Alaska in 1953 and has been in the industry for over 35 years. He has never had a single ABC violation or DWI and has already served on the board for about five years. MS. LAURA WELLS, nominee for the Board of Public Accountancy, said she is pleased to be considered to serve on this board and would keep the public's interest at heart. MR. DALE WALASZEK, nominee for the Workers Compensation Board, said he is honored to receive the appointment and is looking forward to serving. In response to a question from Senator Bunde, he said he is currently a licensed physician assistant, specializing in occupational medicine and health. He has been a provider within the system since 1999 and currently works for Agrium. DR. TIMOTHY BOWSER, nominee for the Board of Veterinary Examiners, said he is honored to serve in this capacity. He has worked in private practice for the last 23 years and has been an owner manager for 20 years in Florida and for the past five years in Soldotna. CHAIR BUNDE asked if he has a specialty. DR. BOWSER replied small animal medicine and general practice, including sled dog medicine. Dermatology and internal medicine are his personal favorites. CHAIR BUNDE said that good veterinarians are always of great value. SENATOR FRENCH asked him if the board is responsible for licensing veterinarians. DR. BOWSER replied yes and other duties include discipline and oversight. SENATOR GARY STEVENS asked if a complaint was filed, the board would hear the complaint and make a ruling. DR. BOWSER replied he hasn't sat in any meetings yet, but staff members usually do the research and the board would review the information, give guidance and make decisions. MS. KIMBERLY MILLS, nominee for the Board of Registration for Architects, Engineers and Land Surveyors, said she is honored to have the opportunity to serve the citizens of the great state of Alaska. MR. DAN KENNEDY, nominee for the Board of Public Accountancy, said he would do his very best to uphold the high standards of a CPA. SENATOR FRENCH asked him what the board does. MR. KENNEDY replied that its mission is, "To protect the public's interest by insuring that only qualified persons are licensed and the appropriate standards of competency and practice are established and enforced." SENATOR FRENCH asked if he was a member of Big Brothers in 1984. MR. KENNEDY replied that he was for two years and was selected as Big Brother of the Year in 1985. SENATOR FRENCH saluted his community involvement. MS. DIANA STRAUB, nominee for the Board of Barbers and Hairdressers, thanked members for the opportunity to serve on the board. She said she has experience in each of the different areas that this board represents. CHAIR BUNDE asked her to explain her restorative tattooing practice. MS. STRAUB explained that if someone comes to her with a burn scar, she would work over that scar or if someone had chemotherapy and needed eyebrows, she would do that. Currently, she is not practicing that in Alaska due to a retroactive date in legislation. She hoped that could be changed. MR. SEAN SIEGEL, nominee for the Board of Chiropractic Examiners, said it is an honored distinction to be appointed to the board and that this would be his second term. SENATOR FRENCH asked him what he is doing for a living now. MR. SIEGEL replied that he works for a small ship cruise company, Cruise West. SENATOR FRENCH asked what his connection is with the chiropractic business. MR. SIEGEL replied that he is the public member. CHAIR BUNDE said there were other folks who for one reason or another had been unable to attend the meeting. He read their names: Robert Arts and Les Cronk, nominees for the Board of Marine Pilots; Robert Gilfilian, nominee for the Board of Registered Architects and Engineers, and Land Surveyors; Dr. James Morrison, nominee for the Board of Veterinarians; Curtis Hall and Royce Rock, nominees for the Workers Compensation Board. Hearing no further comments, CHAIR BUNDE announced the committee would forward the names of the nominees to a joint session for a confirmation vote. He adjourned the meeting at 2:10 p.m.