Legislature(2025 - 2026)BARNES 124
05/05/2025 03:15 PM House LABOR & COMMERCE
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB182 | |
| HB173 | |
| HB149 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| += | HB 182 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | HB 173 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | SB 54 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | HB 149 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED |
HB 173-OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY LICENSURE COMPACT
3:34:09 PM
CO-CHAIR HALL announced that the next order of business would be
HOUSE BILL NO. 173, "An Act relating to occupational therapist
licensure; relating to occupational therapy assistant licensure;
and relating to an occupational therapist licensure compact."
3:34:39 PM
CO-CHAIR HALL opened public testimony on HB 173.
3:34:55 PM
TORI DAUGHTERY, Member, State Physical Therapy & Occupational
Therapy Board, testified in support of HB 173. She noted that
the board reviews and approves applications for both
occupational therapy (OT) and physical therapy (PT) licensures.
She stated that the board feels confident in its ability to
adapt to the changes in the licensing process, including
granting compact privileges. She noted that the PT compact has
similar language to HB 173 and stated that the board has already
navigated most of the necessary procedural changes. She noted
that Alaska is experiencing a critical shortage of OTs and
asserted the proposed legislation would improve the board's
ability to recruit and retain competent and vetted OT providers.
She asserted that an increased volume of OT providers in Alaska
would result in improved health and rehabilitative outcomes for
residents in Alaska with increased access to OTs. She further
asserted that an OT compact would reduce administrative burdens
and by reducing unnecessary redundancies in processing
applications. She explained that, under HB 173, the board could
provide licensure privileges to providers outside of Alaska
whose homes are established in another state with compact
membership. She asserted that the proposed legislation would
"increase the workforce needed for Alaskans to access OT
services."
3:36:57 PM
ERIN BRENNAN FLORES, representing self, testified in support of
HB 173. She stated that she is the sole occupational therapist
in Cordova, Alaska. She stated that the proposed legislation
would increase the availability and accessibility of OT services
in Alaska. She reported that, as a former travel therapist, she
was familiar with the burdens associated with obtaining new
licensure in every state. She stated that the compact would
allow the OT profession to flourish in Alaska, and it would
reduce the barrier to accessing OT services in small communities
like Cordova, Alaska.
3:37:56 PM
KATIE JOHNSON, representing self, testified in support of HB
173. She stated that she was an OT and the vice president of
the Alaska Occupational Therapy Association. She stated that,
because there are not enough OT services in the Kenai Peninsula,
there is a long waitlist for service that is infrequent. She
stated that many individuals rely on travel OTs which causes a
delay in care, as out-of-state travel therapists must obtain
licensure before providing care. She asserted that HB 173 would
address the issue of waitlists and infrequent care. She offered
her full support for HB 173, stating that it would ensure rural
Alaska residents receive vital services following illness or
injury.
3:38:59 PM
DANIELLE KELLER, Board Member, Alaska Occupational Therapy
Association, testified in support of HB 173. She stated that
she has worked as an OT provider in Anchorage for 13 years. She
noted that the waitlist for OT services averaged between 6 and
12 months due to the lack of OT services and providers. She
stated that she was in full support of HB 173. She stated that
she had personally worked with patients that had to leave their
rural villages to receive OT services in Anchorage, Alaska after
over a year of delay. She asserted that HB 173 would decrease
barriers preventing OTs from coming to work in Alaska. She
offered her full support for HB 173.
3:40:06 PM
CARY MORRE, representing self, testified in support of HB 173.
She stated that she has been a practicing OT for 27 years. She
noted that that the University of Alaska Anchorage OT program
graduates 12 to 15 OTs a year, far below the projected need for
74 OTs annually. She asserted that the proposed legislation
would facilitate expedited licensing for OTs coming to Alaska
and it would support the healthcare needs of Alaska residents.
3:41:14 PM
CO-CHAIR HALL, after ascertaining that there was no one else who
wished to testify, closed public testimony on HB 173.
CO-CHAIR HALL entertained amendments.
3:41:26 PM
CO-CHAIR FIELDS moved to adopt Amendment [1] to HB 173, labeled
34-LS0810\A.1, Gunther, 5/2/25, which read as follows:
Page 3, line 5:
Delete "Article 3A"
Insert "Article 4A"
CO-CHAIR HALL objected for purpose of discussion.
CO-CHAIR FIELDS explained that Amendment 1 would correct a
drafting error in the proposed legislation by deleting Article
3A and replacing it with Article 4A on line 5 of page 3 of HB
173.
3:41:49 PM
The committee took a brief at-ease at 3:41 p.m.
3:42:18 PM
CO-CHAIR HALL removed her objection. There being no further
objection, Amendment 1 to HB 173 was adopted.
3:42:34 PM
REPRESENTATIVE NELLIE JIMMIE, Alaska State Legislature, gave
closing remarks as prime sponsor of HB 173. She thanked the
committee members and highly encouraged the swift passage of the
proposed legislation. She stated that, without action,
individuals both urban and rural would suffer from a lack of OT.
3:43:09 PM
REPRESENTATIVE COULOMBE noted that all compact bills have a
commission requirement, with both fees and appointments related
to the compact. She queried the cost.
3:43:53 PM
The committee took a brief at-ease at 3:43 p.m.
3:44:02 PM
KEENAN MILLER, Staff, Representative Nellie Jimmie, Alaska State
Legislature, on behalf of Representative Jimmie, prime sponsor
of HB 173, as amended, replied that there was no additional need
for funds according to the Department of Commerce, Community,
and Economic Development (DCCED), noting that board members
typically attend national conferences and pay for the travel
costs themselves.
REPRESENTATIVE COULOMBE referred to page 18 of HB 173, as
amended, citing "The Commission may levy on and collect an
annual assessment from each Member State or impose fees on other
parties to cover the cost of the operations and activities of
the Commission". She questioned how much the state would need
to pay to be in the OT compact.
3:45:54 PM
MS. DAUGHTERY deferred to Mr. Saviers. She noted that the
person appointed to the commission would be an OT appointed to
the board.
3:46:42 PM
GLENN SAVIERS, Deputy Director, Division of Corporations,
Business & Professional Licensing, Department of Commerce,
Community, and Economic Development, replied that there would be
no fee set for the OT compact. She explained that there was no
fee to be a part of the PT compact, which went "live" the prior
week. She further explained that there was an option in statute
to create a fee if necessary but stated that the board believed
that it could absorb the costs because HB 173 would reduce work
for the Division of Corporations, Business & Professional
Licensing by reducing the number of applications processed by
the division.
3:47:31 PM
REPRESENTATIVE COULOMBE asked how many states there are in the
compact.
MR. MILLER replied that there are 32 states currently in the
compact pending legislation from Washington, D.C.
3:48:22 PM
CO-CHAIR FIELDS moved to report HB [173], as amended, out of
committee with individual recommendations and the accompanying
fiscal notes. There being no objection, CSHB 173(L&C) was
reported out of the House Labor and Commerce Standing Committee.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| HB173 HL&C Amendment 1 5.5.2025.pdf |
HL&C 5/5/2025 3:15:00 PM |
HB 173 |