03/08/2016 01:30 PM Senate LABOR & COMMERCE

            SB 168-BOARD OF BARBERS AND HAIRDRESSERS                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
1:37:29 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR COSTELLO  announced the  consideration of  SB 168;  "An Act                                                               
relating  to  the   membership  of  the  Board   of  Barbers  and                                                               
Hairdressers."  She stated  this  is the  first  hearing and  the                                                               
intent  is  to  hear  from   the  sponsor's  staff,  open  public                                                               
testimony and hold the bill.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
1:37:48 PM                                                                                                                    
TREVOR  Gutierrez, Staff,  Senator Lesil  McGuire, sponsor  of SB
,  introduced  the  legislation   on  behalf  of  the  sponsor                                                               
speaking to the following sponsor statement:                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
     Senate   Bill   168   aims  to   create   equal   Board                                                                    
     representation for all licensees  governed by the Board                                                                    
     of Barbers and Hairdressers.  This restructuring of the                                                                    
     Board  will not  remove any  current board  member from                                                                    
     their  position, and  it carries  a  zero general  fund                                                                    
     fiscal note.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
     As  of  February 3,  2015,  the  Board of  Barbers  and                                                                    
     Hairdressers    oversees   2,271    Hairdressers,   962                                                                    
     Manicurists  and  Nail Technicians,  542  Estheticians,                                                                    
     151   Barbers,   and  146   Tattoo/Permanent   Cosmetic                                                                    
     Colorist/Body Piercers. The  current Board structure is                                                                    
     1)  Hairdresser, 1)  Hairdresser/Esthetician combo,  1)                                                                    
     Tattoo/Permanent  Cosmetic  Colorist/Body  Piercer,  1)                                                                    
     Public Member, 2) Barbers.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
     Providing   Board  Representation   for  Nearly   1,000                                                                  
     Currently Unrepresented Nail Technicians                                                                                 
     In  2015,   legislation  was  passed   requiring  those                                                                    
     practicing the  art of manicuring to  receive education                                                                    
     and  to  pass   a  nationally  recognized  examination.                                                                    
     Current  statute does  not  provide  a nail  technician                                                                    
     seat  on  the Board.  As  the  second largest  body  of                                                                    
     licensees  overseen   by  the  Board  of   Barbers  and                                                                    
     Hairdressers, nail  technicians should be given  a seat                                                                    
     at the table to advocate  for their industry. This bill                                                                    
     ensures  that   nail  technicians  be  given   a  Board                                                                    
     position.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
     Creating a More Balanced Number of Board Members                                                                         
     This   bill  increases   the  Board   of  Barbers   and                                                                    
     Hairdressers  from  six  to seven  members.  This  will                                                                    
     create  an   odd  number  of  voting   members,  better                                                                    
     assuring a tie-break in  certain Board decisions. Seven                                                                    
     members also  make it more  likely to have a  quorum at                                                                    
     Board meetings and teleconferences.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
     Evenly  Distributing Board  Representation for  Current                                                                  
     Seats                                                                                                                    
     When  the   Board  seats   were  created,   Alaska  had                                                                    
     approximately 1,200  Barbers. We currently have  151 in                                                                    
     the entire state. There  is an over-representation from                                                                    
     a  minor licensee  group, which  not  only makes  Board                                                                    
     recruitment difficult,  but it gives  an over-abundance                                                                    
     of  voice to  the  Barbering industry.  This bill  will                                                                    
     change  one  of  the  Barber seats  to  allow  for  any                                                                    
     licensee group governed by this Board.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR COSTELLO  asked Ms. Hovenden  to give  the administration's                                                               
position on the legislation and discuss the fiscal note.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
1:40:19 PM                                                                                                                    
JANEY HOVENDEN, Director, Division  of Corporations, Business and                                                               
Professional  Licensing, Department  of  Commerce, Community  and                                                               
Economic Development (DCCED), said the  fiscal note asks for $4.5                                                               
thousand  in travel  costs  for the  additional  board member  to                                                               
attend  board meetings.  This is  a receipt-supported  service so                                                               
the licensing  fees will pay  for the additional seat  and travel                                                               
costs.  Responding  to  further  questions from  the  Chair,  she                                                               
reported  that  the board  is  operating  at  a surplus  and  the                                                               
administration is neutral on the bill.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  COSTELLO  asked   if  there  is  any   opposition  to  the                                                               
legislation.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MS. HOVENDEN said she assumes  the barbers aren't pleased to lose                                                               
the second seat,  but that doesn't prevent a  barber from filling                                                               
the undesignated licensee seat.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
1:42:39 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR COSTELLO opened public testimony.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
1:42:53 PM                                                                                                                    
JEANNINE  JABAAY,  member,  Board of  Barbers  and  Hairdressers,                                                               
Hope,  Alaska,  stated  the  board  fully  supports  SB  168  and                                                               
believes  that  barbers  currently   are  over  represented.  The                                                               
licensees haven't voiced direct  opposition to re-designating the                                                               
seat  and both  barbers  on  the board  support  the change.  She                                                               
relayed the board's surprise at  the fiscal note and their belief                                                               
that  it should  be  zero.  She pointed  out  that  the board  is                                                               
receipt supported and is operating in the black.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  COSTELLO  said the  Finance  Committee  would address  the                                                               
request to zero the fiscal note.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
1:44:56 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR COSTELLO  closed public  testimony on SB  168 and  held the                                                               
bill in committee for future consideration.