02/21/2001 01:32 PM House FIN

SENATE BILL NO. 53                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
     "An Act extending the termination date of the Board of                                                                     
     Barbers and Hairdressers."                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
HEATHER   BRAKES,  STAFF,   LEGISLATIVE   BUDGET  AND   AUDIT                                                                   
COMMITTEE noted that SB 53 amends  title 8 Chapter 3, Section                                                                   
10 to  extend the  board an additional  four years  from June                                                                   
30, 2001  to June 30, 2005.  She observed that  a legislative                                                                   
audit was released  on Dec 6, 2000. The audit  concluded that                                                                   
the   Board   of   Barbers   and   Hairdressers   should   be                                                                   
reestablished  and  that  the  regulation  and  licensing  of                                                                   
qualified  barbers,  hairdressers   and  estheticians  is  of                                                                   
benefit  to the  public's health,  safety,  and welfare.  The                                                                   
board   benefits   the   public   by   establishing   minimum                                                                   
educational   and   experience  requirements   that   provide                                                                   
reasonable  assurance that  persons  licensed are  qualified.                                                                   
Assurances that those  licensed act in a competent  manner is                                                                   
provided by  active investigation of complaints  conducted by                                                                   
the Division  of Occupational Licensing's  investigative unit                                                                   
within the Department of Community  and Economic Development.                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Alaska  Statute  08.03.010(c)   (4)  requires  the  Board  of                                                                   
Barbers  and Hairdressers  be  terminated on  June 30,  2001.                                                                   
Under  AS  08.03.020, the  board  has  a one-year  period  to                                                                   
administratively conclude its  affairs. The audit recommended                                                                   
that the  board's termination  date be  extended to  June 30,                                                                   
2005.                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
CATHERINE   REARDON,  DIRECTOR,   DIVISION  OF   OCCUPATIONAL                                                                   
LICENSING, DEPARTMENT  OF COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC  DEVELOPMENT                                                                   
provided information  on the legislation. She  explained that                                                                   
licenses are valid  for two years. They expire at  the end of                                                                   
August on even  fiscal years. She explained  that there would                                                                   
always  be  a high  and  low  year.  On the  years  when  the                                                                   
licenses  are not renewed  revenues come  from new  licenses.                                                                   
There are no general funds in  the component. The legislature                                                                   
generally  rolls forward  the excess  revenue collections  to                                                                   
allow the boards to cover their  two-year costs with two-year                                                                   
revenues.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Foster noted that  the number of  commissions                                                                   
has increased.  He suggested that  the four-year  sunset date                                                                   
is a waste of time.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
PAT  DAVIDSON,  EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR,  LEGISLATIVE  BUDGET  AND                                                                   
AUDIT DIVISION explained that  they recommended that that the                                                                   
Board be extended  for four years because tattooist  is a new                                                                   
occupation under  the Board.  The normal four-year  extension                                                                   
would allow the profession to establish regulations.                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
Vice-Chair Bunde MOVED to report  SB 53 out of Committee with                                                                   
the accompanying new fiscal note.  Representative John Davies                                                                   
observed that  the fiscal note  would reflect the  new. There                                                                   
being NO OBJECTION, it was so ordered.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
SB  53  was  REPORTED  out of  Committee  with  a  "do  pass"                                                                   
recommendation  and  with  a  new zero  fiscal  note  by  the                                                                   
Department of Community and Economic Development.