04/24/1997 08:41 AM Senate FIN

       HB 133 ARCHITECTS, ENGINEERS & SURVEYORS                                
                                                                               
       Testimony  was heard from CATHERINE REARDON and ANNETTE                 
       KREITZER.    SENATOR   PARNELL  MOVED  the  bill   from                 
       committee  with  individual  recommendations.   Without                 
       objection, CSHB 133(L&C)  was REPORTED  OUT with a  new                 
       fiscal  note  from  the   Department  of  Commerce  and                 
       Economic Development.                                                   
  CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 133(L&C)                                               
  "An Act relating to regulation of architects, engineers, and                 
  land surveyors; extending the termination  date of the State                 
  Board  of Registration  for Architects, Engineers,  and Land                 
  Surveyors; and providing for an effective date."                             
                                                                               
  COCHAIR SHARP explained  that the  bill extended the  sunset                 
  date and changed the mix of members.                                         
                                                                               
  SENATOR  ADAMS  noted  a  recommendation  was  made  by  the                 
  Legislative  Budget  and Audit  Committee  (LBA) to  include                 
  financial  statements  of receipts  and expenditures  on all                 
  licensing  boards.   He  inquired  why  they  had  not  been                 
  incorporated into this bill.                                                 
                                                                               
  CATHERINE  REARDON,  Director,   Division  of   Occupational                 
  Licensing, Department of  Commerce and Economic Development,                 
                                                                               
                                                                               
  explained that  the division  began including all  financial                 
  reports  in  their annual  report  this past  fall, although                 
  there was no statutory obligation.                                           
                                                                               
  In response to a  question from COCHAIR PEARCE, MS.  REARDON                 
  stated  that  it was  not unusual  to  operate with  an even                 
  number of members  because of  vacancies or conflicting  out                 
  during a vote.  COCHAIR PEARCE questioned the wisdom of even                 
  numbers  on  boards.   SENATOR  PARNELL  inquired  where the                 
  recommendation  for ten  members came  from.     MS. REARDON                 
  responded that  land surveyors had  requested an  additional                 
  member  for  some  time,  it  was  supported by  the  Alaska                 
  Professional Design Council  (APDC), and  it was a  decision                 
  made through the committee process.                                          
                                                                               
  ANNETTE   KREITZER,  Aide  to   Senate  Labor  and  Commerce                 
  Committee, informed the committee  that the questions raised                 
  so far also came up in the previous committee.  The bill was                 
  a result of  cooperation between  the department, the  board                 
  and the APDC.  The extra  position would be paid for by  the                 
  APDC fees, so  there was no fiscal impact.  The quorum issue                 
  had been discussed and it was  decided they could still make                 
  their quorum.   The justification for the  additional member                 
  was  the   increasing  number   of  applications   for  land                 
  surveyors.                                                                   
                                                                               
  COCHAIR  PEARCE noted  another LBA  Committee recommendation                 
  was  that  a mining  engineer  board  member  would  not  be                 
  justified because they  made up less  than 1 percent of  the                 
  membership.                                                                  
                                                                               
  SENATOR  PARNELL   MOVED  the  bill   from  committee   with                 
  individual   recommendations.     Without   objection,  CSHB
(L&C) was REPORTED  OUT with a  new fiscal note from  the                 
  Department of Commerce and Economic Development (2.5).