03/07/2022 01:30 PM Senate LABOR & COMMERCE

         SB 222-EXTEND PT & OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY BOARD                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
1:52:34 PM                                                                                                                    
ACTING CHAIR  MICCICHE reconvened  the meeting and  announced the                                                               
consideration  of  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."                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
He stated that this is the  first hearing and the intention is to                                                               
hear invited and public testimony,  take committee questions, and                                                               
potentially look to the will of the committee.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
1:53:04 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR GRAY-JACKSON, speaking as  sponsor of SB 222, paraphrased                                                               
the  first  paragraph  of  the  sponsor  statement.  It  read  as                                                               
follows:                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
     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.  SB 222  would                                                                    
     extend that  termination date to  an effective  date of                                                                    
     June 30, 2030.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
She  deferred  further  introduction   and  presentation  of  the                                                               
sectional analysis to Besse Odom.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
1:53:47 PM                                                                                                                    
BESSE  ODOM,  Staff,  Senator  Elvi  Gray-Jackson,  Alaska  State                                                               
Legislature,  Juneau, Alaska,  read the  second paragraph  of the                                                               
sponsor statement for SB 222:                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
     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.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
1:54:27 PM                                                                                                                    
MS. ODOM presented the sectional analysis  for SB 222. It read as                                                               
follows:                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
[Original punctuation provided.]                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     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                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
ACTING CHAIR MICCICHE turned to invited testimony.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
1:55:17 PM                                                                                                                    
KRIS  CURTIS, Legislative  Auditor,  Legislative Audit  Division,                                                               
Alaska State  Legislature, Juneau, Alaska, directed  attention to                                                               
the  sunset  audit report  for  the  State Physical  Therapy  and                                                               
Occupational Therapy Board dated April 2, 2021.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
MS.  CURTIS  paraphrased  the  first   paragraph  of  the  report                                                               
conclusions on page i:                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
     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  stated  that  the   Division  of  Legislative  Audit                                                               
recommends  the legislature  extend the  termination date  of the                                                               
board eight years.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
MS.  CURTIS turned  to Exhibit  2 on  page 5  that shows  that on                                                               
January  31,  2021  the  board  had  1,762  active  licenses  and                                                               
permits.  This is  a 53  percent  increase compared  to the  2013                                                               
sunset  audit.  The  board  chair   attributed  the  increase  to                                                               
telehealth.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
MS. CURTIS  directed attention to  Exhibit 4  on page 7  that has                                                               
the board's schedule of revenues  and expenditures. It shows that                                                               
on  January  31, 2021  the  board  had  a  surplus of  just  over                                                               
$211,000. The schedule of license  and permit fees is outlined in                                                               
Exhibit 3 on page 6. Because  of the surplus, fees were decreased                                                               
in FY 2020.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
1:56:33 PM                                                                                                                    
MS. CURTIS stated that the  audit made no recommendations. Agency                                                               
responses to  the audit begin  on page 19. Both  the commissioner                                                               
of DCCED and the board chair agree with the audit conclusions.                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
ACTING  CHAIR  MICCICHE found  no  questions  and noted  who  was                                                               
available to answer questions.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
1:57:04 PM                                                                                                                    
ACTING CHAIR MICCICHE opened public  testimony on SB 222; finding                                                               
none, he closed public testimony.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
1:57:30 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR STEVENS  relayed that  in an  earlier hearing  he learned                                                               
that in  Alaska it  is not  necessary to have  a referral  from a                                                               
medical doctor to see a physical therapist.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR GRAY-JACKSON  added that  in that  same hearing  she also                                                               
heard there  were exceptions,  and she believes  AETNA is  one of                                                               
the insurance  companies that  still requires  a referral  from a                                                               
medical doctor to see a physical therapist.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
1:58:29 PM                                                                                                                    
ACTING CHAIR MICCICHE found no  further questions or comments and                                                               
solicited the will of the committee.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
1:58:51 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR STEVENS moved  to report SB 222,  work order 32-LS1593\A,                                                               
from  committee  with  individual  recommendations  and  attached                                                               
fiscal note(s).                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
ACTING CHAIR MICCICHE found no  objection and SB 222 was reported                                                               
from the Senate Labor and Commerce Standing Committee.