03/29/2023 01:30 PM Senate LABOR & COMMERCE

           SB 83-PROFESSIONAL LICENSING; TEMP PERMITS                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
1:35:18 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR BJORKMAN announced the consideration  of SENATE BILL NO. 83                                                               
"An  Act   relating  to   professional  licensing;   relating  to                                                               
temporary  licenses for  some professions;  and providing  for an                                                               
effective date."                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
He stated that this is the  second hearing and Glenn Saviers will                                                               
provide a recap of the bill.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
1:35:48 PM                                                                                                                    
GLENN  SAVIERS,   Deputy  Director,  Division   of  Corporations,                                                               
Business  and  Professional  Licensing, Department  of  Commerce,                                                               
Community  and  Economic  Development  (DCCED),  Juneau,  Alaska,                                                               
presented  a  summary of  SB  83.  She stated  that  SB  83 is  a                                                               
universal  temporary  licensure  bill allowing  the  division  to                                                               
issue   temporary  licenses   to  qualified   professionals.  She                                                               
described the parameters for qualification.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
1:37:45 PM                                                                                                                    
GLENN  SAVIERS,   Deputy  Director,  Division   of  Corporations,                                                               
Business  and  Professional  Licensing, Department  of  Commerce,                                                               
Community  and  Economic  Development  (DCCED),  Juneau,  Alaska,                                                               
stated that  SB 83 is  a universal temporary licensure  bill that                                                               
allows  the division  to issue  temporary  licenses to  qualified                                                               
professionals  who  hold a  license  in  another US  or  Canadian                                                               
jurisdiction that  has substantially the same  qualifications for                                                               
licensure.   She   described    the   specific   parameters   for                                                               
qualification, and advised that  temporary licenses would be part                                                               
of  the department's  regular permanent  licensure process  going                                                               
forward.  She  said the  primary  goal  of  the  bill is  to  get                                                               
professionals licensed more quickly so  they can start working in                                                               
Alaska.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
MS. SAVIERS  advised that a  forthcoming committee  substitute is                                                               
in response to a new federal  law that requires states to treat a                                                               
military  service member's  or  a  spouse's professional  license                                                               
from  another  jurisdiction  as   valid  if  the  service  member                                                               
relocates their residency due to  military orders. The Department                                                               
of Law determined this is the  best vehicle. The CS will amend AS                                                               
08.01.063  relating  to  military courtesy  licenses  which  will                                                               
bring Alaska into compliance with  the federal law. She clarified                                                               
that this would not change  how the universal temporary licensure                                                               
provisions work. She  said the department is  working through the                                                               
process  and wants  to be  very transparent  that this  change is                                                               
coming.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
1:40:50 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR BJORKMAN opened public testimony on SB 83.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
1:41:17 PM                                                                                                                    
BEN  WILTERDINK,  Director,  Programs  at  Archbridge  Institute,                                                               
Alaska Policy  Forum, Anchorage, Alaska, testified  in support of                                                               
SB 83.  He said  many Alaskans are  struggling to  find qualified                                                               
workers  and  filling  their  roles in  the  interim.  Alaska  is                                                               
experiencing a workforce crisis. In  2022, 2500 more people moved                                                               
out  of Alaska  than in,  continuing a  decade-long trend  of net                                                               
out-migration. Since  2013, the  working age population  has been                                                               
in decline; Alaska is among the worst three states.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
Despite   these  challenges,   Alaska  law   currently  prohibits                                                               
licensed  professionals  from  other  states to  work  in  Alaska                                                               
without first completing the process  to obtain an Alaska license                                                               
which   they've  already   done  in   their  home   state.  These                                                               
professionals  will  not  be  able   to  make  money  until  this                                                               
potentially  time-consuming  process  is   complete.  This  is  a                                                               
significant  barrier  for  licensed professionals  considering  a                                                               
move   to  Alaska.   Licensing   requirements   in  general   are                                                               
responsible for reducing interstate migration.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
BEN WILTERDINK said that passing  a universal licensure law would                                                               
significantly ease  Alaska's workforce issues and  make it easier                                                               
for licensed  professionals in  good standing  in other  state to                                                               
move to Alaska and begin  working with minimal interruption while                                                               
obtaining  their full  Alaska license.  Twelve other  states have                                                               
passed  a  permanent form  of  universal  recognition, while  six                                                               
states  have  passed  a  lighter   form  of  universal  licensing                                                               
recognition or licensing recognition for military spouses.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
1:44:05 PM                                                                                                                    
KAREN  MCINTIRE,  Senior Director  of  Human  Resources and  Vice                                                               
President  of  Workforce,   Southcentral  Foundation,  Anchorage,                                                               
Alaska,  testified in  support of  SB 83.  She said  Southcentral                                                               
Foundation employs thousands of  healthcare workers, the majority                                                               
of  whom  are  licensed  providers in  a  range  of  occupations.                                                               
Southcentral  Foundation   currently  has  over   255  employment                                                               
opportunities   posted   and   over  half   require   an   Alaska                                                               
professional license.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
Delays in receiving Alaska licenses  means organizations lose out                                                               
on  qualified  employees.  It's not  possible  to  expect  highly                                                               
trained providers to  forego months of practice  due to licensure                                                               
delays. SB 83 will go a long way toward solving that problem.                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
A temporary  license is  a way for  professionals coming  to this                                                               
state  that   have  similar  license  requirements   to  practice                                                               
healthcare more  readily. It won't diminish  the safeguards found                                                               
in  Alaska  licensing  statutes  and  regulations  because  these                                                               
professionals  will have  to obtain  a  license by  the time  the                                                               
temporary ability to practice runs its course.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
1:46:29 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR  BJORKMAN  closed  public  testimony  and  held  SB  83  in                                                               
committee.