03/31/2003 10:01 AM Senate FIN

                                                                                                                                
     HOUSE BILL NO. 71                                                                                                          
     "An Act extending the termination date of the Board of                                                                     
     Certified Direct-Entry Midwives."                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
This was  the second  hearing for  this bill in  the Senate  Finance                                                            
Committee.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Wilken stated  that this  bill would extend  the Board  of                                                            
Midwives until June 30, 2007.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Senator B. Stevens moved  to adopt committee substitute, Version 23-                                                            
LS0439\D as a working draft.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Wilken  objected to explain  that the committee  substitute                                                            
adds new language  to Section 2, subsection 08.65.060  that requires                                                            
an applicant to pass an  examination about Alaska laws that apply to                                                            
this profession.  He stated  that this language  was recommended  on                                                            
page 11  of the Division  of Legislative  Audit report dated  August                                                            
15, 2002 [copy on file].                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Wilken removed his objection.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
There  being no  further  objection,  the committee  substitute  was                                                            
ADOPTED as a working draft.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
KAYE  KANNE,  President,  Midwives  Association  of  Alaska,  voiced                                                            
support voiced  of the bill, and that she approved  of the State law                                                            
exam requirement.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Wilken  noted  that, while  other  pertinent  issues  were                                                            
discussed in  the previous hearing  on this bill, the determination                                                             
is that the Board would  address the issues at its upcoming November                                                            
meeting.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
LINDA SYLVESTER,  Staff  to Representative  Bruce Weyhrauch,  voiced                                                            
appreciation for the Committee's support of this "clean bill."                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Senator  B. Stevens  moved to report  the bill  from Committee  with                                                            
individual  recommendations and accompanying  previous fiscal  note.                                                            
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Wilken  interjected that, because the committee  substitute                                                            
changes the  title of this House of  Representatives bill,  a Senate                                                            
Concurrent Resolution would accompany the bill.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
There  being  no  objection,  SCS  HB 71  (FIN)  was  REPORTED  from                                                            
Committee  with  individual  recommendations  and  previous  $28,200                                                            
fiscal  note #1, dated  February 10,  2003, from  the Department  of                                                            
Community and Economic Development.