2023-02-24                     Senate Journal                      Page 0337
SB 83                                                                                                                         
SENATE BILL NO. 83 BY THE SENATE RULES COMMITTEE                                                                                
BY REQUEST OF THE GOVERNOR, entitled:                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
           "An Act relating to professional licensing; relating to                                                             
                 temporary licenses for some professions; and                                                                  
          providing for an effective date."                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
was read the first time and referred to the Labor and Commerce and                                                              
Finance Committees.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
The following fiscal information was published today:                                                                           
 Fiscal Note No. 1, Department of Commerce, Community, and                                                                      
          Economic Development                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Governor's transmittal letter dated February 23:                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Dear President Stevens:                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Under the authority of Article III, Section 18, of the Alaska                                                                   
Constitution, I am transmitting a bill relating to temporary professional                                                       
licensing.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
This bill would expedite and streamline professional licensing by                                                               
creating a new “temporary license” designation under AS 08.01. The                                                              
bill would repeal most temporary license types (e.g., courtesy licenses,                                                        
temporary courtesy licenses, temporary permits, etc.) that can be found                                                         
across the professional licensing statutes and replace them with the                                                            
universal temporary license, which would be administered by the                                                                 
Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development.                                                                    
The bill would allow the department to grant temporary licenses using                                                           
standard criteria to reduce board work and provide consistency to the                                                           
process.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
The universal temporary licensing provisions would not apply to all                                                             
professions. The bill creates exceptions for professions that are unique                                                        
to Alaska, such as big game guides and marine pilots. Additionally,                                                             
the new provisions would not change the temporary military courtesy                                                             
licenses available to United States Armed Forces service members and                                                            
their spouses. However, the temporary military courtesy license statute                                                         
is amended slightly to avoid confusion over the term “temporary                                                                 
license.”                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                

2023-02-24                     Senate Journal                      Page 0338
Finally, a number of changes would be made to conform the Alaska                                                                
Statutes to the changes proposed under AS 08.01.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
I urge your prompt and favorable action on this measure.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Sincerely,                                                                                                                      
/s/                                                                                                                             
Mike Dunleavy                                                                                                                   
Governor