03/01/2006 09:00 AM Senate FINANCE

                                                                                                                                
     SENATE BILL NO. 253                                                                                                        
     "An Act extending the termination date for the Board of                                                                    
     Chiropractic Examiners; and providing for an effective                                                                     
     date."                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
This was  the first hearing for  this bill in the  Senate Finance                                                               
Committee.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
TOM  MAHER, Staff  to Senator  Gene Therriault,  paraphrased from                                                               
the  sponsor   statement  [copy  on  file]   informing  that  the                                                               
Legislative Audit  Division conducted the scheduled  audit of the                                                               
Board of  Chiropractic Examiners incorporating revisions  made to                                                               
the  "sunset process"  during the  previous legislative  session.                                                               
These revisions  include changing  the lapse  date of  this board                                                               
from "not to  exceed four years" to "not to  exceed eight years".                                                               
In addition,  to better measure operational  performance, two new                                                               
criteria were  added to  statute that must  be considered  in the                                                               
course of  a sunset review by  the auditors: the extent  to which                                                               
the  board, commission,  or agency  has effectively  attained its                                                               
objectives and  the efficiency  with which  it has  operated; and                                                               
the extent  to which the  board, commission or  agency duplicates                                                               
the  activities of  another governmental  agency  or the  private                                                               
sector.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Mr.  Maher  reported  that  the  Division  of  Legislative  Audit                                                               
concluded that  the Board of  Chiropractic Examiners  operates in                                                               
the  public's  best  interest and  should  continue  to  regulate                                                               
chiropractors.  The  Board  safeguards  the  public  interest  by                                                               
promoting the competence  and integrity of those  who practice in                                                               
this field and continues to  improve its effectiveness and ensure                                                               
chiropractors are licensed in the State of Alaska.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Maher  stated that  this legislation  would extend  the lapse                                                               
date of  the Board  eight years  from June 30,  2006 to  June 30,                                                               
2014.                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Maher noted  that the audit made no  other recommendations to                                                               
the legislature regarding this Board.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
Mr.  Maher  informed  that  the  fiscal  note  accompanying  this                                                               
legislation  reflects  projected  future  costs  of  the  Board's                                                               
operations. Governor Murkowski's proposed  FY 07 operating budget                                                               
contains funding for this Board's operations in FY 07.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
9:21:14 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Vice Chair Bunde pointed out  that the operations would be funded                                                               
with  Receipt Supported  Services. Like  many other  State boards                                                               
and commissions, this board is self-supporting.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
9:21:39 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Senator  Stedman  offered  a  motion  to  report  the  bill  from                                                               
Committee  with   individual  recommendations   and  accompanying                                                               
fiscal note.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Without objection  SB 253  was MOVED from  Committee with  a zero                                                               
fiscal note  #1 from  the Department  of Commerce,  Community and                                                               
Economic Development.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
9:21:54 AM