Legislature(2005 - 2006)HOUSE FINANCE 519
04/20/2006 01:30 PM House FINANCE
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB29 | |
| SB200 | |
| SB253 | |
| SB254 | |
| SB255 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| + | SB 253 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | SB 254 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | SB 255 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
| += | HB 29 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | SB 200 | TELECONFERENCED | |
CS FOR SENATE BILL NO. 255(FIN)
An Act extending the termination date and duties for
the Board of Examiners in Optometry; amending the
licensing, endorsement, and renewal provisions for
optometrists; and providing for an effective date.
3:28:48 PM
TOM MAHER, STAFF, SENATOR GENE THERRIAULT, explained that SB
255 relates to the termination date and duties for the Board
of Examiners in Optometry; amending the licensing,
endorsement, and renewal provisions for optometrists and
providing for an effective date.
Sec. 1 of extends the sunset date of the Board of Examiners
in Optometry from June 30, 2006 to June 30, 2014 per the
audit conclusions contained in the report. Legislative
Audit concluded that the Board of Examiners in Optometry
continues to serve a public need and is operating in the
public interest. The regulation and licensing of qualified
optometrists is necessary to protect the public's health,
safety and welfare. The Board of Examiners in Optometry has
operated effectively, adopted regulatory changes and
supported legislation that improved its oversight process
and promoted more effective regulation of licensed
optometrists. The Auditor's recommendation provides for an
eight-year sunset extension to June 30, 2014.
Sections 5, 6, 9, 10, & 12 incorporate the recommendations
by the Legislative Auditor concerning a problem on
licensing. The Auditor recommended the Legislature amend
the optometry statutes to ensure current license
endorsements for the diagnostic use of pharmaceutical
agents. Currently, statutory language provides for a single
endorsement to both prescribe and use. However, the Board
of Examiners in Optometry is now issuing two types of
endorsements:
· The first allows a practitioner to both prescribe and
use pharmaceutical agents, and
· The second allows a practitioner "use" only.
Current law does not authorize the use only endorsement. SB
255 corrects that situation by adding sections authorizing
the use only endorsement and "grandfathers" in the
practitioners that were given the endorsement over the
years.
Mr. Maher continued, the legislation changes law to make
current practices legal, grandfather's license holders in,
and makes sure no practitioners are left out, which could
have an impact on the number of providers serving the
public, maximizing the number of practitioners that can
practice in Alaska.
The rest of the legislation contains "housekeeping"
recommendations that were approved by the Board and
supported by the Department. Section 2 deletes the word
"President" as the Board actually has a "Chair".
Mr. Maher discussed, Sections 3 & 4, allowing the Board to
better protect the public by improving the handling of
disciplinary actions.
Section 7 deletes the statutory cite requiring 24 hours of
continuing education instruction, allowing the Board to
establish through regulation, the number of hours without
amending statute. The amendment was requested in response
to the audit and is similar to other boards.
Section 8 removes the "branch office" reference as it no
longer exists.
Mr. Maher pointed out the fiscal note by the Division of
Occupation Licensing; the legislation will incur no
additional costs beyond those already contained in the FY07
Governor's operating budget request. The Board is self-
supporting thru the receipt of member fees.
3:32:51 PM
Representative Weyhrauch asked if an effort had ever been
made to combine some of the boards.
PAT DAVIDSON, LEGISLATIVE AUDITOR, LEGISLATIVE AUDIT
DIVISION, replied that they have not looked at that per se;
they had attempted to combine the Mental Health
professionals, which did not go well.
3:34:36 PM
Representative Kerttula referenced Section 10, regarding the
use of drugs applied topically by an optometrist, recalling
past issues. Ms. Davidson said that area was not being
discussed as it is "systemic versus topical drugs". The
bill addresses optometrist's authority to prescribe drugs &
use them; however, the statute does not allow the Board to
license for use only. There is a small segment of the
population that is looking for a "use only" and the proposed
language allows that endorsement.
3:36:51 PM
PUBLIC TESTIMONY CLOSED
3:37:02 PM
Vice Chair Stoltze MOVED to REPORT CS SB 255(FIN) out of
Committee with individual recommendations and with the
accompanying fiscal notes. There being NO OBJECTION, it was
so ordered.
CS SB 255 (FIN) was reported out of Committee with a "no"
recommendation and with fiscal note #1 by the Department of
Commerce, Community & Economic Development.
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