04/14/2005 01:30 PM Senate LABOR & COMMERCE

                  SB 175-DISPENSING OPTICIANS                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR BUNDE announced SB 175 to  be up for consideration and said                                                               
it is  one of  the Legislature's  goals to  reduce the  number of                                                               
boards and commissions.  While in this bill the  board goes away,                                                               
the licensing requirement for dispensing  optician remains and it                                                               
would  become   a  function  of  the   Division  of  Occupational                                                               
Licensing.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
JANE  ALBERTS, staff  to  Senator Bunde,  explained  that SB  175                                                               
sunsets  the  Board of  Dispensing  Opticians  and transfers  the                                                               
authority  for   licensure  to   the  Division   of  Occupational                                                               
Licensing. It  increases from  2 to 4  the number  of apprentices                                                               
who can work under one  licensed optician, optometrist or medical                                                               
doctor. This  is included  to perhaps  allow more  individuals to                                                               
get into this occupation.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
SB  175 also  simplifies  in statute  the  process for  licensing                                                               
opticians  from   other  states   in  Alaska  and   it  transfers                                                               
administration of the apprenticeship  program from the Department                                                               
of Labor to the U.S. Department  of Labor. The U.S. Department of                                                               
Labor  already administers  a number  of apprenticeship  programs                                                               
across  the  nation,  so  the   state's  division  would  license                                                               
applicants based on each one's  meeting the basic requirements of                                                               
the U.S. Department of Labor's apprenticeship program.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
2:43:12 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR BEN  STEVENS asked if  anything in law  prohibits reverse                                                               
reciprocity  if licensure  is issued  by a  department and  not a                                                               
board.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
PAT  DAVIDSON,  Division  of Legislative  Audit,  responded  that                                                               
often reciprocity  is based on  experience, education  or testing                                                               
accomplishments. It  doesn't matter whether it's  a department or                                                               
board doing the  licensing and not all  states license dispensing                                                               
opticians.  That is  part  of  the reason  for  Section 9,  which                                                               
acknowledges   a  master's   certificate   from  a   professional                                                               
association for  people practicing  in those  states that  do not                                                               
license them.  "It increases the  pool of  people who can  act in                                                               
the state as a dispensing optician."                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
2:47:21 PM                                                                                                                    
SHANA PICKFORD, member,  Alaska Opticians Association, Anchorage,                                                               
supported  SB  175.  She  related   that  Rick  Urion,  Director,                                                               
Division  of Occupational  Licensing, has  said he  would involve                                                               
the  association  in the  transition  and  she looks  forward  to                                                               
working with him.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
2:48:52 PM                                                                                                                    
MATT  MARUKIAN,  licensed optician,  said  the  Alaska public  is                                                               
being served  well by the licensing  system. His goal is  to work                                                               
with the  Division of Occupational  Licensing to have  a seamless                                                               
transition. He supported SB 175 overall.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
2:50:29 PM                                                                                                                    
KRISTY  BRANT,   President,  Opticians  Association   of  Alaska,                                                               
Fairbanks,  supported  SB  175.  It  streamlines  the  regulation                                                               
process, maintains licensing and  transfers the administration of                                                               
the  apprenticeship  program to  the  U.S.  Department of  Labor,                                                               
which  should  be  more efficient  for  everybody  involved.  She                                                               
pointed out  that if this legislation  does not pass by  June 30,                                                               
the  statutes will  no  longer be  valid and  the  board will  no                                                               
longer be there to regulate them.  It could be confusing and cost                                                               
the state time and money.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR BUNDE explained that it  is the committee's practice to not                                                               
pass a bill after  only one hearing and he said  he would hold it                                                               
for another meeting.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
2:52:58 PM                                                                                                                    
ROBIN  MARQUIS, licensed  optician, Fairbanks,  said she  used to                                                               
practice in a state that  didn't license dispensing opticians and                                                               
she  knew that  not  every  office provided  good  care. She  has                                                               
worked  at   various  offices  in   Fairbanks  and  has   a  good                                                               
relationship with other doctors  and opticians. Topnotch speakers                                                               
are brought  in to meet  continuing education  requirements. They                                                               
are trying their best to make  sure the consumer comes first, not                                                               
the  almighty  buck.  She  felt   confident  that  SB  175  would                                                               
streamline the licensing process.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR BUNDE thanked  her for her comments and said  that the bill                                                               
would be held for a second hearing.