Legislature(2023 - 2024)BARNES 124
03/17/2023 03:15 PM House LABOR & COMMERCE
Note: the audio ![]()
and video ![]()
recordings are distinct records and are obtained from different sources. As such there may be key differences between the two. The audio recordings are captured by our records offices as the official record of the meeting and will have more accurate timestamps. Use the icons to switch between them.
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB86 | |
| HB85 | |
| HB99 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| *+ | HB 91 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
| += | HB 85 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | HB 63 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | HB 99 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | HB 86 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | HB 87 | TELECONFERENCED | |
HB 85-PROFESSIONAL LICENSING; TEMP PERMITS
3:47:25 PM
CHAIR SUMNER announced that the next 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."
3:47:55 PM
REPRESENTATIVE RUFFRIDGE moved to adopt Amendment 1 to HB 85,
labeled 33-GH1614\A.1, Bergerud, 3/13/23, which read as follows:
Page 1, line 10:
Delete "or territory of the United States or province
or territory of Canada"
There being no objection, Amendment 1 to HB 85 was adopted.
3:48:09 PM
The committee took an at-ease from 3:48 p.m. to 3:49 p.m.
3:49:26 PM
REPRESENTATIVE PRAX moved to reconsider Amendment 1 to HB 85.
3:49:46 PM
The committee took an at-ease from 3:49 p.m. to 3:50 p.m.
3:50:13 PM
A roll call vote was taken. Representatives Prax, Ruffridge,
Saddler, Wright, Carrick, and Sumner voted in favor of
reconsideration of Amendment 1 to HB 85. Therefore,
reconsideration of Amendment 1 to HB 85 was passed by a vote of
6-0.
3:51:03 PM
REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER objected to Amendment 1 for the purpose
of discussion.
REPRESENTATIVE RUFFRIDGE explained that Amendment 1 would remove
the provision allowing a temporary license to be offered to an
individual from a state in which a license for the occupation is
not required.
REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER removed his objection.
3:52:02 PM
REPRESENTATIVE PRAX objected to Amendment 1. He stated that the
goal of the bill would be to allow qualified people to work in
the state without having to go through a longer application
process.
3:53:05 PM
SYLVAN ROBB, Director, Division of Corporations, Business, and
Professional Licensing, Department of Commerce, Community, and
Economic Development, stated that the bill would require
documentation which proves an individual meets the standards set
forth by the state to receive a temporary license.
3:53:48 PM
REPRESENTATIVE CARRICK asked for an example of an occupation in
a scenario where this would be applicable.
MS. ROBB responded that massage therapists require a license in
45 states, while naturopaths require a license in only 20
states. In response to a follow-up question, she said
naturopaths require licensure in Alaska.
3:54:45 PM
REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER expressed the belief that the amendment
would protect the people of Alaska, because it would be a burden
to request the division to judge another state's qualifications,
when the state may not have similar licensing as Alaska.
3:55:33 PM
REPRESENTATIVE PRAX asked whether the amendment would allow an
individual to work sooner if this individual had the necessary
qualification from a state without licensing.
MS. ROBB answered that such an individual would need a temporary
license to begin working sooner than they would otherwise be
able to. She added that the amendment would remove the option
for such an individual to receive a temporary license.
3:57:46 PM
REPRESENTATIVE RUFFRIDGE commented that Amendment 1 would still
allow for temporary licenses to be issued to individuals from
jurisdictions which require licensing. He expressed agreement
with Representative Saddler's point, that asking the division to
evaluate unlicensed individuals would be a difficult task.
3:59:27 PM
REPRESENTATIVE PRAX maintained his objection to Amendment 1.
A roll call vote was taken. Representatives Ruffridge, Saddler,
Wright, Carrick, and Sumner voted in favor of Amendment 1 to HB
85. Representative Prax voted against it. Therefore, Amendment
1 was adopted by a vote of 5-1.
4:00:14 PM
REPRESENTATIVE RUFFRIDGE moved to adopt Amendment 2 to HB 85, as
amended, labeled 33-GH1614\A.2, Bergerud, 3/13/23, which read as
follows:
Page 2, line 3, following "state;":
Insert "or"
Page 2, lines 4 - 7:
Delete all material.
Reletter the following subparagraph accordingly.
4:00:20 PM
REPRESENTATIVE CARRICK objected. She asked whether references
to Canadian jurisdictions would be removed throughout the entire
bill.
REPRESENTATIVE RUFFRIDGE answered yes.
4:01:51 PM
REPRESENTATIVE CARRICK asked whether Canadian jurisdictions had
significantly different requirements than those within the
United States.
MS. ROBB expressed uncertainty.
REPRESENTATIVE RUFFRIDGE answered that certain licenses for
medical professions differ significantly in certain aspects,
such as testing.
4:04:01 PM
REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER commented that asking the division to
evaluate Canadian jurisdictional requirements would be
challenging and expressed his support for the amendment.
4:04:50 PM
REPRESENTATIVE PRAX asked whether territories of the U.S. have
less rigorous licensure requirements.
REPRESENTATIVE RUFFRIDGE answered that U.S. territories
generally have close requirements to those of the states.
4:05:59 PM
REPRESENTATIVE CARRICK maintained her objection.
A roll call vote was taken. Representatives Prax, Ruffridge,
Wright, Saddler, and Sumner voted in favor of Amendment 2 to HB
85, as amended. Representative Carrick voted against it.
Therefore, Amendment 2 was adopted by a vote of 5-1.
4:06:43 PM
REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER moved to adopt Amendment 3 to HB 85, as
amended, labeled 33-GH1614\A.3, Bergerud, 3/13/23, which read as
follows:
Page 2, lines 24 - 26:
Delete "The department may consider an application and
grant a temporary license before obtaining any
resulting report."
4:06:47 PM
REPRESENTATIVE CARRICK objected for the purpose of discussion.
She requested an explanation of the amendment.
REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER expressed the opinion that a criminal
background check should take place before the issuance of a
temporary license.
4:07:40 PM
REPRESENTATIVE CARRICK asked whether waiting for a background
check would be a hindrance to the intent of the bill.
MS. ROBB expressed the opinion that it would. She said that the
division issues full licenses to individuals while awaiting
background checks and added licenses could be revoked if a
negative result was returned. She stated that many other states
also require background checks, and individuals from these
jurisdictions would have gone through a previous background
check. She added that the only temporary license issued to a
profession requiring a background check is for nurses.
4:11:20 PM
REPRESENTATIVE PRAX asked what types of criminal activity would
cause an individual to be disqualified.
MS. ROBB answered that it varies between different professions.
She said that typically, there would need to be some type of
correlation between the crime and the occupation, such as a
certified public accountant committing embezzlement.
4:12:40 PM
REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER questioned, if there are few causes for a
denial of license issuance, what is the purpose of having
criminal background checks for nurses.
MS. ROBB answered that it encourages truthfulness on the license
application.
4:13:31 PM
REPRESENTATIVE RUFFRIDGE commented that he would not support the
amendment because of the potential harm to the cause of the
bill.
4:14:30 PM
A roll call vote was taken. Representative Saddler voted in
favor of Amendment 3 to HB 85, as amended. Representatives
Wright, Carrick, Prax, Ruffridge, and Sumner voted against it.
Therefore, Amendment 3 failed by a vote of 1-5.
4:15:05 PM
REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER moved to adopt Amendment 4 to HB 85, as
amended, labeled 33-GH1614\A.4, Bergerud, 3/14/23, which read as
follows:
Page 1, line 10:
Delete "or province or territory of Canada"
4:15:07 PM
REPRESENTATIVE CARRICK objected for the purpose of discussion.
She requested an explanation of the amendment.
REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER stated that Amendment 4 would allow the
department to extend the length of temporary licenses if
necessary. It would create consistency with military courtesy
licenses. In response to a follow-up question, he said that
there would be no priority between the department and any of the
occupational licensing boards.
4:17:13 PM
REPRESENTATIVE RUFFRIDGE requested a description of the
licensing process and which boards issue licenses.
MS. ROBB answered that the processes for the different boards
vary, with some doing their own in-depth review of certain
candidates based on responses to certain questions. She stated
that the division requires documentation from any convictions,
along with other necessary paperwork, such as test scores.
4:20:13 PM
REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER commented that the amendment would apply
only to extensions for temporary licenses which already had been
approved.
4:21:03 PM
A roll call vote was taken. Representatives Saddler, Wright,
and Sumner voted in favor of Amendment 4 to HB 85, as amended.
Representatives Prax, Ruffridge, and Carrick voted against it.
Therefore, Amendment 4 failed by a vote of 3-3.
4:21:45 PM
CHAIR SUMNER opened public testimony on HB 85.
4:22:02 PM
ERICK CORDERO GIORGANA, Alaska Policy Forum, stated that
approximately one quarter of the jobs in the United States
require some type of occupational licensure. He stated that
moving to another state is difficult and requiring an individual
to requalify for a license which he/she may already possess in
another state is unnecessary. He argued that reducing licensing
barriers would help low-income workers, increase competition,
and have a positive effect on the economy.
4:23:56 PM
CHAIR SUMNER, after ascertaining there was no one else who
wished to testify, closed public testimony on HB 85.
4:24:07 PM
REPRESENTATIVE RUFFRIDGE moved to report HB 85, as amended, out
of committee with individual recommendations and the
accompanying fiscal notes. There being no objection, CSHB
85(L&C) was reported from the House Labor and Commerce Standing
Committee.