02/26/2008 01:30 PM Senate LABOR & COMMERCE

            SB 149-REDISTRIBUTION OF USED EYEGLASSES                                                                        
                                                                                                                              
1:37:41 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR ELLIS announced SB 149 to be up for consideration.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR THERRIAULT, sponsor of SB  149, explained the only change                                                               
in proposed CSSB  149(L&C) 24-LS0788\M, appears on  page 2, lines                                                               
24-25, because Mr. Harper testified  at the last meeting that one                                                               
can't  expect  to get  the  exact  prescription. So  the  drafter                                                               
suggested inserting  "to the  extent possible"  to give  a little                                                               
bit of latitude.                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
1:38:55 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR STEVENS  moved to bring  version M before  the committee.                                                               
There were no objections and it was so ordered.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
1:39:40 PM                                                                                                                    
HOWARD  RIXIE,  Aurora  Borealis  Lions  Eyeglass  Recycling  and                                                               
Vision Center, North Pole AK, concurred with the CS.                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
1:39:56 PM                                                                                                                    
JENNIFER  STRICKLER, Licensing  Chief, Division  of Corporations,                                                               
Business  and  Professional  Licensing, Department  of  Commerce,                                                               
Community &  Economic Development (DCCED), supported  SB 149. She                                                               
hadn't seen  the CS but  indicated a  letter dated July  23, 2007                                                               
from  the chairman  of the  Board of  Optometry suggested  moving                                                               
this language  to the Board  of Optometry rather  than Dispensing                                                               
Opticians, because that board had sunsetted in FY06.                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR THERRIAULT  explained that issue  had been dealt  with in                                                               
the  CS on  page 1,  line 5  which removed  "board" and  inserted                                                               
"department".                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  STEVENS  asked  if  giving   approval  to  a  non-profit                                                               
organization is a complex process.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  THERRIAULT said  he  had to  go  with generic  language,                                                               
because the drafter  said that even though the intent  is to work                                                               
with the Lions  Club program, they didn't want to  put "the Lions                                                               
Club"  in   statute.  This  wording  gives   flexibility  to  the                                                               
department if there are competing groups or more than one.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
1:44:01 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR STEVENS  moved to report  CSSB 149(L&C), version  M, from                                                               
committee  with individual  recommendations  and attached  fiscal                                                               
notes. There were no objections and it was so ordered.