Legislature(2025 - 2026)BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)
05/09/2025 01:30 PM Senate LABOR & COMMERCE
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| SB147 | |
| SB117 | |
| SB158 | |
| HB116 | |
| SB159 | |
| SB172 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| + | SB 147 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | SB 117 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | SB 158 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | HB 116 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | SB 159 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | SB 172 | TELECONFERENCED | |
SB 172-OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY LICENSURE COMPACT
2:54:10 PM
CHAIR BJORKMAN announced the consideration of SENATE BILL NO.
172 "An Act relating to occupational therapist licensure;
relating to occupational therapy assistant licensure; and
relating to an occupational therapist licensure compact."
2:54:35 PM
MATT CHURCHILL, Staff, Senator Jesse Bjorkman, Alaska State
Legislature, Juneau, Alaska, introduced SB 172 on behalf of the
sponsor and read the following:
[Original punctuation provided.]
Occupational therapy plays a vital role in helping
people learn or reestablish the ability to
independently do many of the everyday tasks that most
of us take for granted, from chewing and swallowing
food, to balancing and walking, to simply dressing and
undressing themselves.
There is only one training program in the entire
state, and we simply do not have enough occupational
therapists for the many Alaskans who are in need of
this life-changing service (particularly in rural
parts of the state) with over 200 listed job positions
for physical therapists currently unfilled across
Alaska.
Senate Bill 172 enacts the Occupational Therapy
Licensure Compact, an interstate compact that
increases patient access to occupational therapy by
making it easier for licensed physical therapists to
move and work between member states without repeatedly
dealing with bureaucratic red tape. Enacting the
Compact will at the same time enhance the state's
ability to protect the public's health and safety.
This bill's goal is to make it possible for all
Alaskans in need to receive this vital health care
service. The Compact enacted by SB 172 will draw more
occupational therapists to live and work in our state
and thus improve access to physical therapy for
thousands of Alaskans.
2:56:28 PM
CHAIR BJORKMAN announced invited testimony on SB 172.
2:56:42 PM
KEITH BUCKHOUT, Policy Analyst, Council of State Government,
Lexington, KY, testified by invitation on SB 172. He said the
Occupational Therapy (OT) Compact is an agreement among states
that allows licensed occupational therapists and assistants to
practice across member states through a streamlined process. The
OT Compact improves access to care, supports military families,
and ensures continuity of services. He said practitioners must
hold an active, unencumbered license, complete background
checks, and follow the laws of the state where the patient is
located. Member states may also require a jurisprudence exam.
The OT Compact enhances public protection through shared data on
investigations and discipline. It currently has 32 member states
in the process of becoming operational for licensees.
2:59:27 PM
BRIANNA OSWALD, President, Alaska Occupational Therapy
Association, Anchorage, Alaska, testified by invitation on SB
172. She stated that the organization represents 173
occupational therapists and therapy practitioners who serve
patients across various settings, including schools, hospitals,
and community-based clinics, helping individuals improve their
independence, life skills, and self-care throughout their
lifespan. Currently, Alaska has only one academic program that
graduates 8 to 14 occupational therapists each year, which is
far below the statewide demand. She said the Alaska Occupational
Therapy Association estimates a need for around 77 occupational
therapists due to turnover, retirements, and the frequent
relocation of military spouses and other professionals. She said
as a result, the state relies heavily on practitioners from
outside Alaska to meet these needs. She said SB 172 would help
address the workforce shortage by reducing bureaucratic
barriers, allowing qualified professionals from other states to
practice more easily in Alaska.
3:01:07 PM
KATHLEEN HANSEN, Assistant Director of Rehabilitation, Southeast
Alaska Regional Health Consortium (SEARHC), Juneau, Alaska,
testified by invitation on SB 172. She said as a hiring manager
at SEARHC, she witnessed services for Alaskans across all stages
of life in outpatient, inpatient, long-term, home-based, and
school-based care. She saw firsthand how licensure delays
hindered timely access to care.
3:02:27 PM
REBECCA DEAN, Public Member, Physical Therapy and Occupational
Therapy (PTOT) Board, Fairbanks, Alaska, testified by invitation
on SB 172. The PTOT is in support of SB 172 and HB 173 and
stated that the PTOT board could effectively manage the
licensing changes and compact privileges outlined in the bills.
The PTOT board noted its prior experience implementing the
physical therapy compact, which uses similar procedures. She
emphasized that the OT compact would improve access to qualified
therapists, reduce administrative redundancies, and strengthen
patient safety through centralized background checks and shared
disciplinary data.
3:05:20 PM
MS. DEAN stated that the Alaska PTOT Board closely monitored the
national success of the Occupational Therapy Compact and
conducted extensive education on its implementation. She said
the board fully supports adopting the compact, identifying it as
a strategic initiative to improve access to care, particularly
in rural areas, and reduce administrative burdens for licensed
providers. Between July 2024 and May 2025, 82 occupational
licenses were approved, and federal agencies have recognized
interstate compact licenses for Medicare and Medicaid
participation. She emphasized that all applicants would undergo
background checks and fingerprinting before qualifying and urged
the legislature to pass SB 172 to address workforce shortages
and enhance patient access across Alaska.
3:08:30 PM
CHAIR BJORKMAN concluded invited testimony on SB 172.
[CHAIR BJORKMAN held SB 172 in committee.]