Legislature(2023 - 2024)BARNES 124
03/08/2023 03:15 PM House LABOR & COMMERCE
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB86 | |
| HB85 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| *+ | HB 86 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | HB 85 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED |
HB 85-PROFESSIONAL LICENSING; TEMP PERMITS
3:55:51 PM
CHAIR SUMNER announced that the final order of business would be
HOUSE BILL NO. 85, "An Act relating to professional licensing;
relating to temporary licenses for some professions; and
providing for an effective date."
3:56:31 PM
SYLVAN ROBB, Director, Division of Corporations, Business, and
Professional Licensing, Department of Commerce, Community, and
Economic Development, on behalf of the sponsor, House Rules by
request of the governor, introduced HB 85 and gave a PowerPoint
presentation, titled "Universal Temporary Licensure" [hard copy
included in the committee packet]. On slide 2 and slide 3, she
gave a brief overview of universal temporary licensure (UTL) and
what is needed to qualify for it. She explained that the
proposed legislation would allow the department to issue
temporary licenses with similar requirements to those in Alaska,
and this would be to individuals with a license from another
jurisdiction in the U.S. or Canada. If there are no
requirements for a license in a jurisdiction and the person
demonstrates the ability to meet Alaska's licensure
requirements, or if the person has military service or training
in the area of expertise, HB 85 would also allow the department
to issue a temporary license. This individual still would need
any relevant background checks and could not have received any
disciplinary action related to the license.
4:00:35 PM
MS. ROBB continued to slide 4 and stated that temporary licenses
would be valid for 180 days, with a possible 180-day extension
at the discretion of the department. Temporary licenses would
not be available for professions requiring Alaska-specific
knowledge, such as marine pilots, big game guides, and
occupations relating to engineering and architecture.
MS. ROBB continued to slide 5 and stated that temporary
licensure would help people in the state to begin working faster
and help reduce the workforce shortage. She advised that the
number of professional licenses needed in the last 10 years has
increased 64 percent. She said that the division has faced a
workforce shortage which has increased the challenges regarding
issuing licenses in a timely manner, although the number of
vacancies in the division is decreasing. Per the proposed
legislation, for professionals looking for permanent licensure,
the division would issue a temporary license automatically to
those who meet the basic qualifications, and instead of
receiving two applications for this person seeking permanent
licensure, the division would process only one application for
this. She added that this would help the division's workload.
4:05:53 PM
MS. ROBB continued to slide 6 through slide 8 and gave an
overview of how UTL would help, and she explained the difference
between UTL and interstate licensure compacts. She stated that
the Alaska State Medical Board and Alaska Board of Nursing have
already made temporary licensure a part of the licensure process
in Alaska. She said that the primary difference between UTL and
compacts is UTL would require an individual to meet Alaska's
current requirements, while compacts would streamline Alaska's
requirements with all other states in the compact. She stated
that there are currently 18 states that have enacted temporary
licensure legislation.
4:10:16 PM
REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER asked why there are many different
licensing boards instead of having the division process all
licenses.
MS. ROBB answered that the licensing boards help provide
expertise to the division for each profession. The temporary
licenses allow an individual to continue working while the
permanent license is reviewed by the respective professional
board. In response to a follow-up question, she said that the
biggest time-saving element in the proposed legislation is that
the division would no longer receive two different applications
from every person.
4:15:17 PM
REPRESENTATIVE FIELDS commented that he prefers UTL to licensure
compacts. He expressed the belief that this would encourage
people to come to Alaska and not leave.
[HB 85 was held over.]