Legislature(2023 - 2024)BARNES 124
04/17/2023 03:15 PM House LABOR & COMMERCE
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB88 | |
| HB21 | |
| HB149 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
| += | HB 21 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | HB 149 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | HB 88 | TELECONFERENCED | |
HB 149-NURSING: LICENSURE; MULTISTATE COMPACT
4:27:03 PM
CHAIR SUMNER announced that the final order of business would be
HOUSE BILL NO. 149, "An Act relating to the licensure of nursing
professionals; relating to a multistate nurse licensure compact;
and providing for an effective date."
4:27:48 PM
DANETTE SCHLOEDER, DNP, RNC-OB, C-EFM, C-ONQS, Chair, Alaska
Board of Nursing, stated that she has been a registered nurse in
Alaska for 28 years and a member of the Alaska Board of Nursing
for 4 years. She explained that the board is comprised of seven
members, and its mission is to promote the health of Alaskans by
making licensing decisions, enforcing ethics, and setting
licensing requirements. After hearing stories of nurses needing
several different licenses to practice in other states, she said
that since 2017 the board has supported joining the Nursing
Licensure Compact (NLC). She stated that the Alaska Board of
Nursing has reviewed the requirements and qualifications to earn
a license under the NLC, and she expressed the opinion that
joining the NLC would not have adverse effects on Alaskans, nor
would it reduce state sovereignty. She continued that joining
the NLC would be a significant step toward reducing the nursing
shortage.
4:32:59 PM
REPRESENTATIVE FIELDS asked whether it was true that individuals
were only nominated to the Alaska Board of Nursing if they
supported the NLC.
MS. SCHLOEDER responded that she was not asked whether she
supported the NLC when she was appointed to the board. In
response to a follow-up question, concerning continuing
education requirements, she stated that there are different
levels of continuing education and different states have
different requirements, and she cannot compare the different
continuing education requirements. She added that the board
addresses licensure, which is based on competency. In response
to a follow-up question, she expressed uncertainty about how NLC
would affect licensure costs.
4:36:30 PM
SYLVAN ROBB, Director, Division of Corporations Business and
Professional Licensing, Department of Commerce, Community and
Economic Development, said that there are a handful of states
without further education requirements, and the National Council
of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) would have further insight
into these requirements.
4:37:31 PM
TAMMIE PERREAULT, Regional Liaison, Defense-State Liaison
Office, U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), stated that DoD
supports any legislation which helps military families. She
stated that Alaska has the highest per capita rate of military
families, and many include spouses who work in a field requiring
licensure, with healthcare being the largest group. She said
that DoD supports HB 149, as the NLC will allow military spouses
to begin working, shortening the possible long periods of
unemployment. She added that Alaska is one of only five states
that is not a member of any licensure compact for any
occupation.
4:40:29 PM
REPRESENTATIVE FIELDS asked whether a bill passed the previous
year to expedite licensure for military spouses has been
helpful.
MS. PERRAULT answered in the affirmative. She added that
licensure compacts are more effective because they eliminate the
need for an additional licensure process in any form.
4:41:24 PM
REPRESENTATIVE CARRICK asked whether there are any occupations
where DoD does not support compacting or has no position.
MS. PERREAULT answered that there are 15 different occupational
licensure compacts, of which the DoD supports 14. She continued
that DoD has no position on the Interstate Medical Licensure
Compact, and this is because of the low number of military
spouses who would benefit.
4:42:47 PM
REPRESENTATIVE WRIGHT asked whether the compact has been
successful in other states.
MS. PERREAULT answered in the affirmative. She added that
military spouses preparing to be stationed in a non-compact
state would face an additional barrier. In response to a
follow-up question, she stated that licensure compacting reduces
costs for military families, and this includes lost income
waiting for the licensing process.
4:45:09 PM
REPRESENTATIVE FIELDS asked whether it was true NCSBN wrote in a
letter to the Nevada Legislature that NLC would not solve the
nursing shortage.
MOLLYMAEVE LUSK, Associate, National Council of State Boards of
Nursing, answered that the NLC is only one tool among others
that can be used to help reduce the shortage. In response to a
follow-up question, she said that it is not a goal of NLC to
support or facilitate "union busting." She added that NLC is a
benefit for individual nurses.
REPRESENTATIVE FIELDS asked whether NCSBN would be supportive of
adding antiunion busting language to the compact.
MS. LUSK answered that this would require review.
REPRESENTATIVE FIELDS commented that there was an incident in
Minnesota in which a nursing union was busted.
4:48:56 PM
CHAIR SUMNER announced that HB 149 was held over.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| Fiscal Note HB149.pdf |
HL&C 4/17/2023 3:15:00 PM |
HB 149 |