04/10/1995 01:39 PM House FIN

  HOUSE BILL NO. 233                                                           
                                                                               
       "An Act extending  until 1999  the termination date  of                 
       the Board of  Clinical Social Work Examiners,  Board of                 
       Marital  and Family Therapy, State Medical Board, Board                 
       of Nursing, Board of Nursing Home Administrators, Board                 
       of Psychologist and Psychological  Associate Examiners,                 
       Real Estate  Commission, and Hazardous  Substance Spill                 
       Technology  Review  Council; extending  until  1996 the                 
       termination date  of the Board of Marine Pilots and the                 
       Correctional Industries Commission;  and providing  for                 
       an effective date."                                                     
                                                                               
  CATHERINE  REARDON,  DIRECTOR,   DIVISION  OF   OCCUPATIONAL                 
  LICENSING spoke  in support of HB  233.  She  noted that the                 
  Division has jurisdiction  over seven  of the eleven  boards                 
  and commissions contained  in the legislation.   She pointed                 
  out that the  fiscal note reflects  the costs of the  boards                 
  and commissions  and the  licensing  activities under  them.                 
  The fiscal note does  not reflect an increase of  cost.  She                 
  emphasized that the  licensing fees are directed  by statute                 
  to  cover the  costs  of licensing  activities.   When costs                 
  increase the fees are adjusted upward.  Program receipts and                 
  expenditures are  balanced.   She stressed  that the  sunset                 
  audits recommended longer extensions  than those included in                 
  the legislation.  She noted that the Division of Legislative                 
  Budget and Audit suggested that longer extensions would save                 
  auditing money.                                                              
                                                                               
  Representative  Grussendorf  noted  that   the  Division  of                 
                                                                               
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  Legislative Budget and Audit's recommendation for extensions                 
  to  the  year 2004  was only  accepted  for the  Real Estate                 
  Commission.    The other  boards  and commissions  were only                 
  extended to 1994.   Ms. Reardon  noted that the House  Labor                 
  and Commerce  Committee changed  the extension  date of  the                 
  Real Estate Commission.                                                      
                                                                               
  DARREL JOHNSON,  DIVISION OF MENTAL HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENTAL                 
  DISABILITIES, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES spoke                 
  in  support of  HB 233.    He testified  in  support of  the                 
  Special Eduction Service Agencies.   He stressed that sunset                 
  of  the  Special  Education   Service  Agency  would  impair                 
  families' ability to gain the support they need for  special                 
  needs children and young adults.                                             
                                                                               
  Representative Therriault provided members  with Amendment 1                 
  (Attachment 5).  The amendment would eliminate the extension                 
  of the Hazardous Substance Spill Technology Review  Council.                 
  Representative Therriault MOVED  to adopt  Amendment 1.   He                 
  stated  that  the  amendment reflects  action  taken  in the                 
  operating budget.                                                            
                                                                               
  Representative Brown referred  to a  letter by Gary  Thomas,                 
  Director,  Prince  William  Sound Science  Center  (copy  on                 
  file).  Mr. Thomas stated that projects sponsored in part by                 
  the Council have had joint  sponsorship by industry, federal                 
  and state agencies,  public groups,  and universities.   She                 
  spoke in support of extending the Council.                                   
                                                                               
  Representative  Therriault clarified  that  the Council  was                 
  budgeted at $100.0 thousand  dollars in FY 95.   The Council                 
  was funded at $420.0 thousand dollars in FY 93.                              
                                                                               
  Representative  Brown   questioned  the   position  of   the                 
  Department of Environmental Conservation.                                    
                                                                               
  Representative Therriault noted  that it  was the intent  of                 
  the  House   Finance  Subcommittee  on  the   Department  of                 
  Environmental Conservation to allow the sunset to go ahead.                  
                                                                               
  A roll call vote was taken on the MOTION to  adopt Amendment                 
  1.                                                                           
                                                                               
  IN FAVOR: Kelly, Kohring, Martin, Mulder, Therriault, Hanley                 
                                                                               
  OPPOSED:  Brown, Grussendorf, Navarre                                        
                                                                               
  Representatives  Parnell  and Foster  were  absent from  the                 
  vote.                                                                        
                                                                               
  The MOTION PASSED (6-3).                                                     
                                                                               
                                                                               
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  Representative Brown  asked why  the Board  of Storage  Tank                 
  Assistance was recommended for extension.                                    
                                                                               
  ROD  MOURANT,  STAFF,  REPRESENTATIVE  KOTT  noted  that the                 
  legislation was based  on recommendations  by the Office  of                 
  the  Governor  and the  Division  of Legislative  Budget and                 
  Audit.  He stated that  some boards were added by the  House                 
  Labor   and  Commerce   Committee   due  to   administrative                 
  oversight.                                                                   
                                                                               
  Representative  Brown asked  the  basis for  distinction  of                 
  sunset dates.  Mr. Mourant could not answer.  Representative                 
  Grussendorf  noted  that  Mr.  Mourant  testified  that  the                 
  legislation was based on recommendations  by the Division of                 
  Legislative    Budget   and    Audit.       However,   those                 
  recommendations  were  only  accepted  for  the Real  Estate                 
  Board.                                                                       
                                                                               
  Representative Martin noted that the Division of Legislative                 
  Budget  and Audit  tried  to decrease  the  annual audit  of                 
  boards and commissions  by extending  some organizations  to                 
  five or ten years.                                                           
                                                                               
  Representative Brown noted  that the  Board of Storage  Tank                 
  Assistance was not contained in the audit.                                   
                                                                               
  HB 233 was HELD in Committee for further discussion.