04/03/2018 09:00 AM Senate FINANCE

HOUSE BILL NO. 274                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
     "An Act extending the termination date of the Board of                                                                     
     Psychologist and Psychological Associate Examiners;                                                                        
     and providing for an effective date."                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
9:35:47 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CAITLYN ELLIS,  STAFF, REPRESENTATIVE SAM KITO,  stated that                                                                    
the   bill  extended   the   Board   of  Psychologists   and                                                                    
Psychological  Associate  Examiners.  She  stated  that  the                                                                    
board  had  a  full   eight-year  extension  recommended  by                                                                    
Legislative Audit.  She stated that the  board regulated 285                                                                    
licensees. The board  was scheduled to sunset  in June 2018.                                                                    
The  audit  had two  recommendations.  One  was about  fees,                                                                    
because there  was a miscalculation.  The board  agreed, and                                                                    
reduced fees.  She stated that the  other recommendation was                                                                    
about  complying   with  record   keeping.  The   board  and                                                                    
department  agreed,  and  had taken  steps  to  address  the                                                                    
recommendations.                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Senator  von Imhof  looked at  page 10  of the  audit, which                                                                    
recommended  that the  department  director in  consultation                                                                    
with the  board to reduce  fees. She wondered  whether there                                                                    
was a  new fee schedule. She  stated that on page  6, the FY                                                                    
17 fees were high. She queried the fees for FY 18.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
SARA  CHAMBERS, DEPUTY  DIRECTOR, DIVISION  OF CORPORATIONS,                                                                    
BUSINESS   AND   PROFESSIONAL   LICENSING,   DEPARTMENT   OF                                                                    
COMMERCE, COMMUNITY AND  ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, detailed that                                                                    
the fees had been analyzed to  make a change but was waiting                                                                    
on board  regulation (unrelated fees) so  that changes could                                                                    
be made in one package.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair MacKinnon  asked if there was  an anticipated time-                                                                    
frame for completion of the changes.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
Ms.   Chambers  replied   that   she   would  provide   that                                                                    
information at a later date.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Vice-Chair  Bishop wondered  whether the  courtesy licensing                                                                    
was in compliance.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
Ms. Chambers  replied that there were  already procedures to                                                                    
ensure that it  was corrected in the future,  and there were                                                                    
currently no courtesy licensees.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
KRIS  CURTIS,   LEGISLATIVE  AUDITOR,  ALASKA   DIVISION  OF                                                                    
LEGISLATIVE AUDIT,  discussed the document "A  Sunset Review                                                                    
of  the  Department  of Commerce,  Community,  and  Economic                                                                    
Development,   Board  of   Psychologist  and   Psychological                                                                    
Associate  Examiners (board),"  (copy on  file). She  stated                                                                    
that it  was found that  the board was serving  the public's                                                                    
interest   by   effectively  licensing   psychologists   and                                                                    
psychological associates.  There was a recommendation  of an                                                                    
eight-year  extension. She  noted the  standard information.                                                                    
The scheduled licensing  activity was on page  5. She shared                                                                    
that as of March 2017,  there were 285 active licensees. She                                                                    
remarked  that there  was a  174 percent  increase from  the                                                                    
prior 2009 sunset audit.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair MacKinnon OPENED public testimony.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair MacKinnon CLOSED public testimony.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
9:41:25 AM                                                                                                                    
AT EASE                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
9:43:44 AM                                                                                                                    
RECONVENED                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  MacKinnon noted  that  the committee  had a  brief                                                                    
conversation  concerning   the  difference  in   the  words,                                                                    
"psychologist" and "psychiatrist."                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
Vice-Chair Bishop discussed the fiscal note.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair MacKinnon stated that  there would be a forthcoming                                                                    
fiscal note.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Vice-Chair Bishop  MOVED to report  HB 274 out  of Committee                                                                    
with individual recommendations  and the accompanying fiscal                                                                    
note. There being NO OBJECTION, it was so ordered.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
HB  274 was  REPORTED  out  of committee  with  a "do  pass"                                                                    
recommendation and  with one forthcoming fiscal  impact note                                                                    
from  the Department  of  Commerce,  Community and  Economic                                                                    
Development.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
9:46:01 AM                                                                                                                    
AT EASE                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
9:47:38 AM                                                                                                                    
RECONVENED