05/09/2024 01:30 PM House FINANCE

CS FOR SENATE BILL NO. 74(FIN)                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     "An  Act relating  to  an  interstate physical  therapy                                                                    
     licensure  compact;   relating  to  the   licensure  of                                                                    
     physical  therapists,  physical  therapist  assistants,                                                                    
     occupational   therapists,  and   occupational  therapy                                                                    
     assistants; and providing for an effective date."                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
2:10:31 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
JASMINE MARTIN,  STAFF, SENATOR  DAVID WILSON,  relayed that                                                                    
the legislation  allowed Alaska to  enter into  the Physical                                                                    
Therapy Interstate  Licensure Compact. The compact  had been                                                                    
adopted  by over  30 states  and  would be  one of  Alaska's                                                                    
first  licensure compacts.  She  thanked  the committee  for                                                                    
hearing the bill.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Foster asked the  Department of Commerce, Community                                                                    
and Economic Development (DCCED) to review the fiscal note.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
SYLVAN ROBB,  DIRECTOR, DIVISION OF  CORPORATIONS, BUSINESS,                                                                    
AND   PROFESSIONAL   LICENSING,  DEPARTMENT   OF   COMMERCE,                                                                    
COMMUNITY  AND  ECONOMIC  DEVELOPMENT,  reviewed  the  DCCED                                                                    
fiscal note,  OMB component 2360.  The fiscal note  showed a                                                                    
cost  of $117,500  in the  first  year and  $105,000 in  the                                                                    
outyears.  The  cost  was  related   to  the  hiring  of  an                                                                    
administrative   assistant    to   assist    with   handling                                                                    
fingerprint  cards.  In  addition to  joining  the  physical                                                                    
therapy  compact,   the  bill  required   fingerprint  based                                                                    
background checks for  physical therapists, physical therapy                                                                    
assistants,   occupational   therapists,  and   occupational                                                                    
therapy assistants.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Galvin asked  if the  cost would  be covered                                                                    
through fees.                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Ms.  Robb confirmed  that  the cost  would  be covered  with                                                                    
designated general  funds (DGF) through fees  collected from                                                                    
licensees.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Representative Hannan  asked if the state  did not currently                                                                    
require fingerprints on the  professionals covered under the                                                                    
bill.                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
Ms.  Robb  confirmed  that  the  state  did  not  [currently                                                                    
require  fingerprints  for  professions  covered  under  the                                                                    
bill].                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Hannan  believed  the state  should  require                                                                    
fingerprints for the individuals.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
2:12:52 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Johnson  MOVED  to  REPORT  CSSB  74(FIN)  out  of                                                                    
committee   with   individual    recommendations   and   the                                                                    
accompanying fiscal note.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
There being NO  OBJECTION, CSSB 74(FIN) was  REPORTED out of                                                                    
committee with  nine "do pass"  recommendations and  one "no                                                                    
recommendation"  recommendation  and   with  one  previously                                                                    
published fiscal impact note: FN2 (CED).