04/03/2013 05:00 PM Senate LABOR & COMMERCE

          HB 84-MILITARY TRAINING CREDIT/TEMP. LICENSE                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
5:03:36 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR DUNLEAVY announced the consideration  of HB 84 sponsored by                                                               
Representative  Dan   Saddler.  "An  Act  relating   to  applying                                                               
military education, training, and  service credit to occupational                                                               
licensing  and  certain  postsecondary education  and  employment                                                               
training  requirements; providing  for  a temporary  occupational                                                               
license  for qualified  military service  members; and  providing                                                               
for an effective date." [CSHB  84(FIN) was before the committee.]                                                               
He noted  that this was a  companion to SB 4  which the committee                                                               
heard previously.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
5:04:10 PM                                                                                                                    
REPRESENTATIVE DAN  SADDLER, sponsor  of HB  84, stated  that the                                                               
goal of  HB 84 is  to help separating service  members transition                                                               
quickly and effectively into the  civilian workforce. About 1,200                                                               
service members  separate from service  in Alaska each  year, and                                                               
they leave with world-class  training, education, and experience.                                                               
These assets  shouldn't be  disregarded. He  said this  bill asks                                                               
the  Division  of  Professional   Licensing,  the  University  of                                                               
Alaska,  and the  Department of  Labor and  Workforce Development                                                               
(DOLWD) to  evaluate military education  and training  and assign                                                               
civilian  credit  where appropriate.  There  is  no intention  to                                                               
compromise  current   professional  and   occupational  licensing                                                               
standards.  Accelerating the  licensing  process  in this  manner                                                               
will help veterans  get jobs and advance  their civilian careers.                                                               
As of  July 2012, 19  states have passed similar  legislation and                                                               
30  states are  considering it.  He asked  the committee  for its                                                               
support.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
5:05:53 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR MICCICHE asked for an explanation of temporary licenses.                                                                
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER  explained that 13 different  boards offer                                                               
temporary  licenses.  He  listed  audiologists,  speech  language                                                               
pathologists,  hair  dressers   and  barbers,  dental  examiners,                                                               
guardians   and   conservators,  nursing   home   administrators,                                                               
veterinary  examiners, and  chiropractic examiners.  The decision                                                               
to  offer  two 6-month  extensions  as  opposed to  one  yearlong                                                               
extension   came   at  the   suggestion   of   the  Division   of                                                               
Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR MICCICHE inquired if the goal is permanent licensure.                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER answered yes.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
5:07:18 PM                                                                                                                    
MARK  SAN  SOUCI, Regional  Liaison,  Military  Families for  the                                                               
Northwest and Deputy Assistant Secretary  of Defense for Military                                                               
Family and  Community Policy, U.S.  Department of  Defense (DOD),                                                               
reminded  the committee  that last  Tuesday he  testified on  the                                                               
companion bill, SB 4. He  said the Department of Defense supports                                                               
HB 84 which will help  alleviate the high unemployment rate among                                                               
veterans.  The DOD  appreciates  the consideration  given to  the                                                               
1,200  military  that  separated  from service  and  returned  to                                                               
Alaska, many in  Anchorage and Fairbanks. He  highlighted that in                                                               
the  last 2  years,  28  states have  enacted  new  laws to  help                                                               
veterans receive  academic credit and/or  occupational licensing.                                                               
Thus  far  in  2013  at  lease  7  states  have  enacted  similar                                                               
legislation.  He reemphasized  that  the bill  does  not ask  for                                                               
direct licensure if the education  or training is not equivalent.                                                               
In cases that  the regulatory agency or  board determines partial                                                               
credit, it will  still save the veteran time and  money. The bill                                                               
only seeks credit where credit is due.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
MR.  SAN  SOUCI referenced  Senator  Olson's  question last  week                                                               
about occupations  that are not medically  related, and suggested                                                               
that  the   Department  of   Commerce,  Community   and  Economic                                                               
Development was best equipped to answer the question.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR DUNLEAVY found no further questions or public testimony.                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR MICCICHE  thanked the sponsor for  revising the effective                                                               
date so the bill has no fiscal impact.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR DUNLEAVY closed public testimony and solicited a motion.                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
5:11:43 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  MICCICHE moved  to report  HB  84, labeled  28-LS0357\U,                                                               
from  committee  with  individual  recommendations  and  attached                                                               
fiscal note(s).                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  DUNLEAVY announced  that  without  objection CSHB  84(FIN)                                                               
moved from the Senate Labor and Commerce Standing Committee.