02/15/2005 01:30 PM Senate LABOR & COMMERCE

           HB  64-EXTEND BOARD OF PUBLIC ACCOUNTANCY                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR BUNDE announced HB 64 to be up for consideration.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE HAWKER, sponsor of HB 64, said this is a                                                                         
housekeeping bill and extends the board to June 30, 2009 in                                                                     
accordance with the Auditor's recommendations.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
1:38:54 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
The  audit identified  one issue  for attention.  The process  of                                                               
complying with  changing national standards for  testing resulted                                                               
in only  one place for  testing public accountants in  the state.                                                               
The  board is  proactively dealing  with that  situation and  has                                                               
established a  testing facility in  Fairbanks and is  getting one                                                               
in Juneau.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
1:39:27 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  BUNDE noted  the  delay in  addressing  complaints and  if                                                               
there was a solution other than hiring more people.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  HAWKER said  that Steve  Tarola, Chairman  of the                                                               
Board of Accountancy, said there  may be some remediation, but no                                                               
complaints had been referred to the ombudsman.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
1:40:39 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MS.  PAT DAVIDSON,  Division of  Legislative Audit,  said she  is                                                               
required to be a CPA and  as such is not independent with respect                                                               
to this  board. She is required  by statute to perform  the audit                                                               
and recommended  a four-year extension  and identified  a problem                                                               
in  going to  the  national computerized  exam,  which went  from                                                               
being available  twice a  year to  four times per  year -  but it                                                               
went from being in Juneau,  Anchorage and Fairbanks down to being                                                               
in just Anchorage. However, the  Board is working on establishing                                                               
additional testing sites.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
1:41:48 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MS.  DAVIDSON  said  there  were problems  in  terms  of  getting                                                               
investigations done and taking  action. Recommendations were made                                                               
to  the  department,  which they  have  agreed  with.  Subsequent                                                               
reviews  will   look  at  how  well   recommendations  are  being                                                               
implemented.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR BUNDE held the bill until a quorum was present.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
1:42:54 PM Recess 1:44:01 PM                                                                                                
           HB  64-EXTEND BOARD OF PUBLIC ACCOUNTANCY                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  SEEKINS  moved  HB 64  from  committee  with  individual                                                               
recommendations  and   attached  fiscal   note.  There   were  no                                                               
objections and it was so ordered.