03/18/2008 01:30 PM Senate LABOR & COMMERCE

        SB 263-ARCHITECTS, ENGRS, SURVEYORS BD/EXEMPTION                                                                    
                                                                                                                              
2:35:18 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR ELLIS announced SB 263 to be up for consideration.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  JOE  THOMAS, sponsor  of  SB  263, explained  that  this                                                               
measure makes two  modest changes to existing  statute. First, it                                                               
allows the governor  to appoint a petroleum  or chemical engineer                                                               
to the board  if a mining engineer is not  available to serve. He                                                               
explained that sometimes  in the past the position  has been left                                                               
vacant. The  board has 10 members  - 2 civil engineers,  1 mining                                                               
engineer, 1  electrical or mechanical  engineer, 1  engineer from                                                               
another branch  of engineering  as well as  2 architects,  2 land                                                               
surveyors  and 1  public  member. Board  members  must have  been                                                               
registered  voters in  Alaska before  the last  general election.                                                               
Only  22  of Alaska's  4,000  registered  engineers are  resident                                                               
mining engineers, which  can make it difficult  to find qualified                                                               
and interested candidates.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
He  said  the  second  section  of SB  263  adds  the  underlying                                                               
language to the  list of exemptions from the  licensing laws. The                                                               
CS  language is  different  than  the original  bill  in that  it                                                               
exempts persons who design fire  detection or suppression systems                                                               
from the  engineering licensing  laws if  they are  authorized to                                                               
design  fire  detection  or suppression  systems  by  the  Alaska                                                               
Department of  Public Safety (DPS),  which is basically  what has                                                               
been taking place.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  THOMAS explained  this provision  solidifies in  statute                                                               
the current  industry practice  and has the  support of  both the                                                               
board and the Fire Marshall's Office.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
CRAIG  FREDEEN,  Mechanical  Engineer  member  of  the  Board  of                                                               
Architects,  Engineers and  Land  Surveyors, said  he  is also  a                                                               
member  of the  Professional  Design Council;  he supported  CSSB
(L&C), version  C. He  briefed them  that the  regulations for                                                               
licensing  of  engineers basically  say  if  you're doing  design                                                               
work, you  have to be a  licensed engineer. Another set  of state                                                               
permits is  required for persons  who do fire  protection design.                                                               
He said  the board is  very comfortable with  the professionalism                                                               
and the  knowledge of these  individuals with these  permits, but                                                               
the exemption  to this design  requirement in statute is  kind of                                                               
vague. There is concern that a  future board may not know as much                                                               
about these  individuals and  may feel they  are in  violation of                                                               
the design  regulation in  statute; so  they wanted  it clarified                                                               
that their permit  is recognized. He supported  the first portion                                                               
of the bill for the reasons Senator Thomas stated.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
KELLY  NICOLELLO, Assistant  State  Fire  Marshal, Department  of                                                               
Public  Safety (DPS),  supported  CSSB 263(L&C)  for the  reasons                                                               
stated by  Senator Thomas and Mr.  Fredeen. He said all  three of                                                               
them had worked closely on the CS.  He said, "It is a good way to                                                               
meet their requirements and still  maintain ours without stepping                                                               
on anybody's toes or anything else."  He added that they would be                                                               
working together on requirements  for design professionals in the                                                               
future and this has developed a team format for them to work in.                                                                
                                                                                                                                
PAT THOMPSON,  Simplex Grinnell,  said he is  one of  the board's                                                               
design professionals  and he  supported the CS.  He said  most of                                                               
the people in his design community supported the CS as well.                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR ELLIS  noted the  CS was labeled  CSSB 263(  ) 25-LS1457\C,                                                               
Bullard.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR THOMAS  said the  CS removes  lines 7-9  on page  4 which                                                               
that  allows   for  state  certification  rather   than  national                                                               
certification.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR BUNDE  asked if the  current board has a  mining engineer                                                               
and if he expressed opposition.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR THOMAS  replied yes and  he has expressed  no opposition.                                                               
They  have all  been in  favor  of expanding  the requirement  to                                                               
chemical or petroleum engineer.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
2:45:28 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  BUNDE asked  if there  has been  any opposition  to this                                                               
bill.                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR THOMAS replied not that he knew of.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
2:46:03 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR DAVIS and  SENATOR STEVENS moved to  adopt CSSB 263(L&C),                                                               
version C. There were no objections and it was so ordered.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  ELLIS said  he  would  hold CSSB  263(L&C)  for a  further                                                               
hearing.