2014-04-19                     Senate Journal                      Page 2598
SB 166                                                                                                                        
Message dated April 18 was read stating the House passed and                                                                    
returned:                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
                   CS FOR SENATE BILL NO. 166(FIN) "An Act                                                                     
          relating to nursing and to the Board of Nursing."                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
with the following House Letter of Intent:                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
                               Letter of Intent                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
    It is the intent of the Legislature that a workgroup be convened                                                            
    by the Alaska Board of Nursing over the summer of 2014, to                                                                  
    thoroughly examine the criminal background check issue                                                                      
    discussed in the House Labor and Commerce Committee's                                                                       
    April 15, 2014 hearing of CS for Senate Bill 166(FIN).                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
    It is the expectation of the Legislature that this workgroup will                                                           
    involve a diverse array of stakeholders, potentially including                                                              
    representatives of: the Alaska Board of Nursing, the Alaska                                                                 
    State Hospital and Nursing Home Association, the Alaska                                                                     
    Nurses Association, a rural Alaska Tribal Health System                                                                     
    provider, the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services                                                               
    (DHSS) Background Check Unit, the Federal Bureau of                                                                         
    Investigation, and others impacted by the process of dual                                                                   
    criminal background checks conducted by DHSS for                                                                            
    employment and the Board of Nursing for licensure.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
    The workgroup is to identify administrative and statutory                                                                   
    improvements that may potentially make the criminal                                                                         
    background check process more efficient, without                                                                            
    compromising public safety. The written report is due to the                                                                
    Legislature by December 15, 2014.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
Senator Giessel moved and asked unanimous consent that the House                                                                
Letter of Intent for CS FOR SENATE BILL NO. 166(FIN) be                                                                         
adopted. Without objection, the Legislative Letter of Intent was                                                                
adopted.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
The bill with the Legislative Letter of Intent was referred to the                                                              
Secretary for enrollment.