05/09/2024 01:30 PM House FINANCE

CS FOR SENATE BILL NO. 75(FIN)                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     "An Act  relating to  an audiology  and speech-language                                                                    
     interstate  compact;   relating  to  the   practice  of                                                                    
     audiology   and   the   practice   of   speech-language                                                                    
     pathology; and providing for an effective date."                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
2:13:45 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
JASMINE MARTIN,  STAFF, SENATOR  DAVID WILSON,  relayed that                                                                    
the bill  would allow Alaska  to enter into  the Audiologist                                                                    
and  Speech  Language  Pathologist Interstate  Compact.  The                                                                    
compact  became official  in 2019  and had  been adopted  by                                                                    
over 20 states.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
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 zero                                                                    
fiscal  note,   OMB  component   2360.  The   bill  required                                                                    
fingerprint based  background checks.  She relayed  that the                                                                    
number  of  audiologist   and  speech  language  pathologist                                                                    
licensees  was  fewer  than  the  number  for  the  physical                                                                    
therapists and  occupational therapists and the  compact was                                                                    
not  operational quite  yet. She  elaborated  that a  person                                                                    
[administrative  assistant] was  needed  to  cover the  work                                                                    
under both bills and it made  the most sense to put it where                                                                    
there were additional licensees.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Representative Hannan  referenced Ms. Robb's  statement that                                                                    
the compact was not yet  operational. She asked if there was                                                                    
no compact in other states. She asked for detail.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Ms.  Martin responded  that the  compact became  official in                                                                    
2019. The  compact required  a certain  number of  states to                                                                    
join  before starting  up entirely.  She explained  that the                                                                    
compact  was  the  final  stages   and  just  began  issuing                                                                    
privileges to practice.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Hannan asked  if there  would be  additional                                                                    
fiscal impacts once that occurred.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
Ms. Martin replied, "No."                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
2:15:55 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Johnson  MOVED  to  REPORT  CSSB  75(FIN)  out  of                                                                    
committee   with   individual    recommendations   and   the                                                                    
accompanying fiscal note.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
There being NO  OBJECTION, CSSB 75(FIN) was  REPORTED out of                                                                    
committee with  nine "do pass"  recommendations and  one "no                                                                    
recommendation"  recommendation  and   with  one  previously                                                                    
published zero note: FN2 (CED).