02/11/2014 01:30 PM House FINANCE

HOUSE BILL NO. 240                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
     "An Act extending the termination date of the Board of                                                                     
     Chiropractic Examiners; and providing for an effective                                                                     
     date."                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
2:30:31 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CRYSTAL  KOENEMAN,  STAFF,   REPRESENTATIVE  LORA  REINBOLD,                                                                    
communicated  that   HB  240  would  extend   the  Board  of                                                                    
Chiropractic  Examiners. The  Division of  Legislative Audit                                                                    
had  recommended a  full eight-year  extension  to June  30,                                                                    
2022.  The  division  had  determined  that  the  board  was                                                                    
operating  in  the best  public  interest  in licensing  and                                                                    
regulating the community.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
KRIS CURTIS,  AUDITOR, DIVISION  OF LEGISLATIVE  AUDIT noted                                                                    
that the  division had  conducted an audit  of the  board to                                                                    
determine  whether  the  board   was  serving  the  public's                                                                    
interest  and   whether  the  termination  date   should  be                                                                    
extended.  The division  had determined  that the  board was                                                                    
serving the  public's interest by effectively  licensing and                                                                    
regulating chiropractors.  The audit had concluded  that the                                                                    
board monitored  licensees and  ensured that  only qualified                                                                    
individuals   practice.  The   number   of  applicants   had                                                                    
increased  by 28  percent  from  FY 06  through  FY 12.  The                                                                    
division recommended  the maximum eight-year  extension from                                                                    
June 30, 2014 to June 30, 2022.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Ms.  Curtis  spoke  to the  division's  two  recommendations                                                                    
pertaining  to  the  board.  The  first  recommendation  was                                                                    
directed  to  the  Division of  Corporations,  Business  and                                                                    
Professional Licensing and  addressed improvements needed in                                                                    
the  division's case  management  system. The  second was  a                                                                    
recommendation  to  the Office  of  the  Governor to  ensure                                                                    
statutory requirements  for board members were  met prior to                                                                    
appointment. The  division had found that  the public member                                                                    
on the board  was a licensed pharmacist who  therefore had a                                                                    
direct financial interest in  the healthcare industry, which                                                                    
was prohibited  by statute. She relayed  that the department                                                                    
[DCCED] and the board concurred with the recommendations.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Stoltze  asked  whether  the  department  had  any                                                                    
comments. He observed that the board had a surplus.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Stoltze CLOSED public testimony.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
HB  240  was  HEARD  and   HELD  in  committee  for  further                                                                    
consideration.