Legislature(2023 - 2024)BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)
05/03/2024 01:30 PM Senate LABOR & COMMERCE
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| SB225 | |
| HB253 | |
| HB17 | |
| HB237 | |
| HB309 | |
| HB254 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| += | SB 225 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
| += | HB 253 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | HB 17 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | HB 237 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | HB 309 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | HB 254 | TELECONFERENCED | |
HB 309-DELEGATION OF ROUTINE OPTOMETRY SERVICES
1:58:12 PM
CHAIR BJORKMAN reconvened the meeting and announced the
consideration of HOUSE BILL NO. 309 "An Act relating to the
practice of optometry; and relating to the delegation of routine
services of optometry."
1:58:52 PM
REPRESENTATIVE JUSTIN RUFFRIDGE, District 7, Alaska State
Legislature, Juneau, Alaska, sponsor of HB 309, said the bill
seeks to allow optometrists to delegate some of the routine
services that they perform inside their clinics to staff that
have the training necessary to do so. He said the bill would
allow the Board [of Examiners in Optometry] to adopt regulations
that would authorize an optometrist to delegate some routine
services to an agent of the optometrist. Those regulations would
require that the agent acquire a license to perform those duties
because it's a delegated duty. HB 309 would prohibit the
optometrist from delegating any duties for pain management or
opioid use or addiction, and also require the board to define
what a routine service would be. He noted that some of those
services were described during testimony from optometrists. He
noted HB 309 was a bit of a clean-up bill as some of these
practices are ongoing, and the bill was brought about by some
changes in regulation that were attempted by the Board [of
Examiners in Optometry] that could not be processed because
optometrists did not have the authority to delegate routine
services.
2:00:35 PM
CHAIR BJORKMAN opened public testimony on HB 309.
2:00:59 PM
REBECCA WILBUR, representing self, Fairbanks, Alaska, testified
in support of HB 309. She said she was an Alaska Native person,
Yupik Eskimo and optometrist from Quinhagak, Alaska and that she
practiced in Fairbanks, Alaska. She said she used optometric
assistants on a daily basis and that they improve efficiency and
help contain costs. She offered enthusiastic support for House
Bill 309 which would grant the Alaska Board of Examiners in
Optometry the authority to draft regulation regarding the
delegation of routine optometric services.
2:02:01 PM
CHAIR BJORKMAN closed public testimony on HB 309.
2:02:07 PM
CHAIR BJORKMAN solicited the will of the committee.
2:02:10 PM
SENATOR GRAY-JACKSON moved to report HB 309, work order 33-
LS1189\A, from committee with individual recommendations and
attached fiscal note(s).
2:02:27 PM
CHAIR BJORKMAN found no objection and HB 309 was reported from
the Senate Labor and Commerce Standing Committee.