03/13/2006 03:15 PM House LABOR & COMMERCE

                                                                                                                                
SB 254-EXTEND PT & OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY BOARD                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE KOTT  announced that  the final order  of business                                                               
would be SENATE  BILL NO. 254, "An Act  extending the termination                                                               
date  for the  State  Physical Therapy  and Occupational  Therapy                                                               
Board; and providing for an effective date."                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
3:37:26 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
TOM MAHER,  Staff to Senator Gene  Therriault, Legislative Budget                                                               
& Audit  Committee, Alaska State  Legislature, explained  that SB
  stems  from recommendations  contained  in  the Division  of                                                               
Legislative  Audit  Report   entitled  "Department  of  Commerce,                                                               
Community, and  Economic Development, State Physical  Therapy and                                                               
Occupational  Therapy Board  Sunset Audit",  dated September  17,                                                               
2005.   He quoted from  the sponsor  statement for SB  254, which                                                               
reads in part [original punctuation provided]:                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
     Legislative  Audit concluded  that  the State  Physical                                                                    
     Therapy  and  Occupational  Therapy  Board  (Board)  is                                                                    
     operating  in the  public's  best  interest and  should                                                                    
     continue   to   regulate  physical   and   occupational                                                                    
     therapists.   The Board safeguards the  public interest                                                                    
     by promoting the competency and  integrity of those who                                                                    
     practice  in this  field and  continues to  improve its                                                                    
     effectiveness  and ensure  therapists  are licensed  in                                                                    
     the State of  Alaska.  Accordingly, SB  254 extends the                                                                    
     sunset  date of  the  Board  to June  30,  2014 for  an                                                                    
     eight-year extension.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
MR.  MAHER noted  that  the report  made  no further  legislative                                                               
recommendations,  adding  that  while  there is  a  fiscal  note,                                                               
extending the board will not incur additional costs, as it is                                                                   
self-supporting.                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
3:38:20 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE ROKEBERG moved  to report SB 254  out of committee                                                               
with  individual  recommendations  and  the  accompanying  fiscal                                                               
notes.   There being no objection,  SB 254 was reported  from the                                                               
House Labor and Commerce Standing Committee.