Legislature(2017 - 2018)BARNES 124
02/09/2018 03:15 PM House LABOR & COMMERCE
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB318 | |
| HB277 | |
| Presentation: Temporary Specialty Dentistry | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| *+ | HB 318 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | HB 277 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
| + | TELECONFERENCED |
HB 318-EXTEND: BOARD OF SOCIAL WORK EXAMINERS
3:22:34 PM
CHAIR KITO announced that the first order of business would be
HOUSE BILL NO. 318, "An Act extending the termination date of
the Board of Social Work Examiners; and providing for an
effective date."
3:22:55 PM
TED MADSEN, Staff, Representative Ivy Spohnholz, presented HB
318 on behalf of Representative Spohnholz, prime sponsor. He
paraphrased the sponsor statement, which reads as follows
[original punctuation provided]:
House Bill 318 extends the Board of Social Work
Examiners (board) to June 30, 2026 in accordance with
the recommendation with the Division of Legislative
Audit.
The board is composed of five members including two
licensed clinical social workers, one licensed master
social worker, one licensed baccalaureate social
worker, and one public member who has never been
licensed by the board. Further, Alaska statutes
mandate that one of the licensed board members may not
be an employee of a federal, state, or local
government, or a nonprofit organization. The board
regulates over 775 licensed social workers as of March
2017.
The duties of the board include issuing licenses to
qualified applicants, establishing continuing
education requirements and a code of professional
ethics and standards, creating standards for
supervisors and supervision, and adopting regulations
as necessary.
The Division of Legislative Audit reviewed the
operations of the board and concluded that the board
is serving the public's interest by effectively
licensing and regulating the profession.
The board is currently scheduled to sunset on June 30,
2018 and will have one year to conclude its operations
unless the legislature extends the termination date.
House Bill 318 mirrors the recommendations of the
Division of Legislative Audit, and extends the
termination date until
June 30, 2026.
3:24:20 PM
KRIS CURTIS, Legislative Auditor, Legislative Budget and Audit,
Legislative Agencies and Offices, presented the October 2017
audit findings. She began by paraphrasing from report
conclusions in "A Sunset Review of the Department Commerce,
Community and Economic Development Board of Social Work
Examiners (board)" [included in committee packet], which reads
as follows [original punctuation provided]:
The audit concluded that the board operated in the
public's interest by effectively licensing and
regulating social workers. Board meetings were
conducted in compliance with law, investigations were
generally processed timely, and the board issued or
changed regulations to improve the profession.
In accordance with AS 08.03.010(c)(21), the board is
scheduled to terminate on June 30, 2018. We recommend
that the legislature extend the board's termination to
June 30, 2026.
MS. CURTIS informed there were 783 licenses for a 41
percent increase since the 2009 sunset audit. She said the
board had a $95 thousand surplus at the end of fiscal year
2017 (FY 17).
MS. CURTIS outlined the two recommendations.
Recommendation 1 is that DCBPL's director should improve
procedures to ensure board-required documentation is
obtained prior to licensure. She said 1 in 25 tested
licenses contained an error. Recommendation 2 is that the
Office of the Governor's Boards and Commissions staff
should work with the board to identify potential applicants
for the board's vacant clinical social worker position.
The position had been open for some time, and statutes
require that one of the five board members must be a social
worker who is not employed by a federal, state, or local
government or a federally tax-exempt non-profit
organization. She added that Boards and Commissions staff
had communicated that the stringent requirements make it
difficult to find qualified applicants.
MS. CURTIS presented the audit responses. She stated the Office
of the Governor agrees with the audit recommendations and
encouraged the board to find a legislative fix to the stringent
position requirements; the department agrees with both
recommendations, but believes additional supervisory resources
are required to meet standards for the quality checks outlined
in Recommendation 1; and the board agrees with both
recommendations.
3:27:40 PM
REPRESENTATIVE BIRCH asked how many of the 783 licensees work
for the state or federal government.
MS. CURTIS stated there had been lengthy discussion amongst the
auditors about how many of the licensees were state employees,
and it had been determined that not many licensees work for the
Office of Children's Services (OCS). The auditors had found
that most licensees worked for schools, hospitals, and non-
profit organizations.
REPRESENTATIVE BIRCH asked whether the distribution of the board
reflects the licensees' employment.
MS. CURTIS answered the audit did not go into that level of
detail.
3:30:00 PM
DANIELLE LAFON, Chair, Board of Social Work Examiners, Division
of Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing (DCBPL),
Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development
(DCCED), testified in support of HB 318. She said she believes
the board serves its purpose in ensuring the social workers in
the state are receiving necessary education, passing exams, and
maintaining licensure through continuing education. She stated
she agrees with the audit findings and added Recommendation 1
will be discussed at the next board meeting in March [2018].
She informed that the clinical social worker position in
Recommendation 2 has since been filled.
3:31:14 PM
REPRESENTATIVE BIRCH asked whether the distribution of the board
membership reflects the type of work the licensees carry out.
MS. LAFON answered it was unknown, adding that social workers
are largely found in non-profit organizations. She said she did
not believe any of the board members were working for the state.
REPRESENTATIVE BIRCH stated he thought it was peculiar that one
of the members could not work for the state.
3:33:07 PM
REPRESENTATIVE WOOL asked what percentage of the membership is
in private practice.
MS. LAFON answered it was not clear if he was referring to board
members or licensees. She added that one of the board members
works for a private entity.
REPRESENTATIVE WOOL clarified he was asking about licensees, not
the board members.
MS. LAFON answered the board does not track where licensees
work.
3:34:27 PM
LAURA MORTEN, Licensed Social Worker, testified in support of HB
318.
3:35:11 PM
CHAIR KITO asked for any information on the ability of state
employees to participate in licensing boards.
JANEY McCULLOUGH, Director, Division of Corporations, Business,
and Professional Licensing (DCBPL), Department of Commerce,
Community, and Economic Development (DCCED), answered that all
boards have different requirements set out by statute. She
stated the division does not track where its licensees are
employed.
CHAIR KITO asked whether Ms. McCullough was aware of any state
employees who are licensed professionals and are serving on
boards.
MS. McCULLOUGH answered she knew of state employees who serve on
boards that are different from the profession for which they are
licensed.
3:37:14 PM
CHAIR KITO opened public testimony on HB 318.
3:37:22 PM
ELIZABETH WILLIAMS, National Association of Social Workers,
testified that the National Association of Social Workers
supports HB 318.
HB 318 was held over.