04/20/2022 01:30 PM House FINANCE

SENATE BILL NO. 222                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
     "An Act extending the termination date of the State                                                                        
     Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy Board; and                                                                       
     providing for an effective date."                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
2:24:28 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  ELVI GRAY-JACKSON,  SPONSOR, thanked  the committee                                                                    
for hearing the bill. She read the sponsor statement:                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
     Under  current  statute, the   State  Physical  Therapy                                                                    
     and Occupational  Therapy Board is set  to terminate on                                                                    
     June  30,  2022.  The  Division  of  Legislative  Audit                                                                    
     recommends  an  eight-year   extension  of  the  Board.                                                                    
     Senate Bill  222 would extend that  termination date to                                                                    
     an effective date of June 30, 2030.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
     The  State Physical  Therapy  and Occupational  Therapy                                                                    
     Board   provides   oversight   for   medical   services                                                                    
     utilized  by  many   Alaskans.  Extending  the  Board's                                                                    
     termination  date will  allow for  continued regulation                                                                    
     of the  practice of  physical and  occupational therapy                                                                    
     in  our state;  ensuring that  the industry  adheres to                                                                    
     best practices.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
2:25:47 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
LUDMILA  DIAZ, STAFF,  SENATOR ELVI  GRAY-JACKSON, read  the                                                                    
sectional analysis:                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
     Section  1: Amends  statute to  change the  termination                                                                    
     date  of the  State Physical  Therapy and  Occupational                                                                    
    Therapy Board from June 30, 2022, to June 30, 2030                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
     Section 2:  The Act becomes effective  immediately upon                                                                    
     signature.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Merrick   asked  to  hear  from   the  legislative                                                                    
auditor.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
KRIS  CURTIS,   LEGISLATIVE  AUDITOR,  ALASKA   DIVISION  OF                                                                    
LEGISLATIVE AUDIT, read from the report:                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
     Overall, the audit concludes that  the board served the                                                                    
     public's interest by  conducting meetings in accordance                                                                    
     with  state  laws;   amending  certain  regulations  to                                                                    
     improve  the   professions  of  physical   therapy  and                                                                    
     occupational  therapy;  and effectively  licensing  and                                                                    
     regulating   physical   therapists,  physical   therapy                                                                    
     assistants,  occupational therapists,  and occupational                                                                    
     therapy assistants.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Ms. Curtis recommended an  eight-year extension. She pointed                                                                    
to the chart titled  Exhibit 2   on Page 5 of the audit. She                                                                    
related  that  as of  January  31,  2021, there  were  1,762                                                                    
active licenses  and permits,  which was  an increase  of 53                                                                    
percent since  2013. She  noted that  telehealth contributed                                                                    
to the increase.  She drew attention to Page 7  of the audit                                                                    
that  included  the chart  titled   Exhibit  4  showing  the                                                                    
boards  schedule of revenues and  expenditures as of January                                                                    
2021.  She  detailed  that  the   board  had  a  surplus  of                                                                    
approximately $211 thousand. She  turned to the chart titled                                                                    
 Exhibit 3  on Page 6  that displayed the license and permit                                                                    
fees and  noted that the  board decreased  fees in FY  20 to                                                                    
address the surplus. She indicated  that there were no audit                                                                    
recommendations.   Finally,   she   highlighted   that   the                                                                    
responses  to the  audit  began  on page  19,  and both  the                                                                    
commissioner of  the Department  of Commerce,  Community and                                                                    
Economic  Development (DCCED)  and the  boards chair  agreed                                                                    
with the findings of the audit.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Merrick  surmised that  the board  must be  doing a                                                                    
phenomenal job.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
SB  222  was  HEARD  and   HELD  in  committee  for  further                                                                    
consideration.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Merrick reviewed  the schedule  for the  following                                                                    
day.