04/17/2023 01:30 PM Senate LABOR & COMMERCE

           SB 83-PROFESSIONAL LICENSING; TEMP PERMITS                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
1:34:40 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."                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
[CSSB 83  was adopted April  5 and  is before the  committee.] He                                                               
asked Sylvan Robb to provide a recap of the bill.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
1:35:18 PM                                                                                                                    
SYLVAN  ROBB, Director,  Division of  Corporations, Business  and                                                               
Professional  Licensing, Department  of  Commerce, Community  and                                                               
Economic Development, Juneau, Alaska, gave  a recap of SB 83. She                                                               
reminded  the committee  that the  universal temporary  licensure                                                               
bill allows  the department to  issue temporary licenses  for 180                                                               
days  for  members  of  40   of  the  43  professional  areas  it                                                               
supervises; those  excluded require  Alaska-specific information.                                                               
To  obtain a  temporary license,  an individual  needs to  have a                                                               
license in  good standing in  another jurisdiction of  the United                                                               
States  or  Canada, they  cannot  have  any discipline  on  their                                                               
license, and  they cannot have committed  an act in the  last ten                                                               
years  that would  disqualify them  from obtaining  a license  in                                                               
Alaska. Their  existing license  must have  substantially similar                                                               
requirements as an Alaskan license.  If the profession requires a                                                               
criminal background  check in Alaska,  then it must  be completed                                                               
first.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
1:36:54 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR BJORKMAN said the committee  previously adopted a committee                                                               
substitute to  ensure the Division of  Corporations, Business and                                                               
Professional  Licensing  had  the  ability  to  provide  military                                                               
courtesy   licenses   that   would  comply   with   new   federal                                                               
regulations. Members  have a draft proposed  amendment to address                                                               
this issue.  He noted  that there was  an amendment  that further                                                               
clarified certain temporary licenses.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
1:37:16 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR GRAY-JACKSON moved  to adopt Amendment 1,  work order 33-                                                               
GS1614\S.2, for CSSB 83.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
                                                   33-GS1614\S.2                                                                
                                                        Bergerud                                                                
                                                         4/6/23                                                                 
                          AMENDMENT 1                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     OFFERED IN THE SENATE                                                                                                      
          TO:  CSSB 83(L&C), Draft Version "S"                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
     Page 2, line 3:                                                                                                            
        Delete "or"                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
     Page 2, line 8, following "AS 08.01.064(a)(2);":                                                                           
        Insert "or"                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
     Page 2, following line 8:                                                                                                  
        Insert a new subparagraph to read:                                                                                      
          "(C)  is applying for a temporary license to                                                                          
        practice                                                                                                                
          (i)  dentistry, has graduated from an accredited                                                                      
        dental program in the United States, and has passed                                                                     
        written and clinical examinations approved by the                                                                       
        Board of Dental Examiners; or                                                                                           
          (ii)  dental hygiene, has graduated from an                                                                           
        accredited dental  hygiene  program  in  the  United                                                                    
        States,  and   has  passed   written  and   clinical                                                                    
        examinations  approved  by   the  Board   of  Dental                                                                    
        Examiners;"                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR BJORKMAN objected for purposes of an explanation.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
1:37:34 PM                                                                                                                    
KONRAD  JACKSON,  Staff,  Senator Jesse  Bjorkman,  Alaska  State                                                               
Legislature,  Juneau, Alaska,  explained  that  Amendment 1  adds                                                               
dentists and  dental hygienists who have  completed schooling and                                                               
passed their written  and clinical exams to  the language listing                                                               
occupations  that would  be eligible  for  a universal  temporary                                                               
license.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
1:38:40 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR BJORKMAN removed  his objection to Amendment  1. Finding no                                                               
further objection, Amendment 1 was adopted.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
1:39:12 PM                                                                                                                    
HEATHER WILLIS,  DMD, Governmental  Affairs Chair,  Alaska Dental                                                               
Society, Fairbanks, Alaska, gave  invited testimony in support of                                                               
SB 83, specifically in regard  to providing temporary licenses to                                                               
dentists  and  dental  hygienists.  She stated  that  the  Alaska                                                               
Dental Society  is attempting to  speed up the  licensing process                                                               
overall and this would provide  an avenue for dentists and dental                                                               
hygienists  to   join  the   workforce  promptly   upon  becoming                                                               
qualified.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
1:40:46 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR  BJORKMAN asked  about the  roadblocks that  prevent dental                                                               
students from  entering the workforce  after they  complete their                                                               
schooling.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
1:41:00 PM                                                                                                                    
DR. WILLIS answered that dentists  have difficulty finding dental                                                               
hygienists nationwide.  It takes six  to eight months  to process                                                               
an   already   licensed   hygienist  license.   Newly   graduated                                                               
hygienists should not experience these licensing delays.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
1:42:30 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR BJORKMAN  reiterated that Amendment  1 ensures  that dental                                                               
hygienists  who have  completed  their schooling  and passed  all                                                               
examinations would be able to  receive a temporary license for up                                                               
to 180 days.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
1:43:36 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  GRAY-JACKSON moved  to report  CSSB 83,  work order  33-                                                               
GS1614\S,   as   amended,    from   committee   with   individual                                                               
recommendations and attached fiscal note(s).                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR BJORKMAN found  no objection and CSSB  83(L&C) was reported                                                               
from the Senate Labor and Commerce Standing Committee.