02/03/2017 03:15 PM House LABOR & COMMERCE

          HB 49-EXTEND BOARD OF DIRECT-ENTRY MIDWIVES                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
3:37:08 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR KITO  announced that the  final order of business  would be                                                               
HOUSE BILL NO. 49, "An Act  extending the termination date of the                                                               
Board of  Certified Direct-Entry  Midwives; and providing  for an                                                               
effective date."                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
3:37:43 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR KITO closed public testimony on HB 49.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
3:38:03 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE BIRCH asked  how the total cost  would be assessed                                                               
going forward.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR KITO clarified  that the question regards the  cost for the                                                               
board's backlog and previously incurred costs.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
3:38:59 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
JANEY  HOVENDEN, Director,  Division  of Corporations,  Business,                                                               
and  Professional  Licensing  (DCBPL),  Department  of  Commerce,                                                               
Community & Economic Development  (DCCED), stated that the latest                                                               
fee  analysis  set  the  fees  at  $3,800  for  new  and  renewal                                                               
licenses.   The current fees are  predicted to get the  board out                                                               
of deficit by 2021.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  BIRCH asked  if the  cumulative deficit  would be                                                               
"nibbled away" every year by the $4,000 fees.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
MS. HOVENDEN answered that is correct.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
3:40:17 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  WOOL asked  if the  board  is allowed  to keep  a                                                               
surplus.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
MS. HOVENDEN  stated that is  correct; boards  have carry-forward                                                               
[funds] from  year to year.   She  noted that currently  the fees                                                               
are very steep to get the board  out of deficit and would stay at                                                               
that level  until there is  a reasonable surplus, after  which an                                                               
analysis could  be done, resulting  in fees  being set at  a much                                                               
more reasonable level.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
3:41:19 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE KNOPP asked how licensing  would be handled if the                                                               
board is not extended.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
MS. HOVENDEN  stated that  the board  is set  to sunset  June 30,                                                               
2017.   Statute allows  for a  one-year period  for the  board to                                                               
help transition to management by  DCCED, which would be effective                                                               
July 1, 2018.                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE KNOPP  asked whether  the department would  be the                                                               
only qualified management  of the profession -  the board members                                                               
would no longer be qualified.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
MS. HOVENDEN stated  that is correct.  She  stated the department                                                               
would still need consultation from the industry for assistance.                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
3:43:14 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  KITO  asked  if the  legislature  is  exceeding  statutory                                                               
authority  in  authorizing  the   satisfaction  of  arrears  over                                                               
multiple bienniums.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
MS.  HOVENDEN stated  that there  is  an allowance  to recover  a                                                               
deficit over a number of bienniums,  so as to not restrict people                                                               
from their livelihoods  and to continue access  to midwifery care                                                               
in Alaska.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR KITO stated his desire  to ensure that boards have adequate                                                               
opportunity and  statutory ability  to address  significant debt.                                                               
He noted that another piece  of legislation, which will be before                                                               
the  House Labor  and  Commerce Standing  Committee  [at a  later                                                               
date], might address the board's debt in a different way.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
3:44:45 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE WOOL moved  to report HB 49 out  of committee with                                                               
individual  recommendations and  the  accompanying fiscal  notes.                                                               
There being  no objection, HB 49  was moved from House  Labor and                                                               
Commerce Standing Committee.