Legislature(2017 - 2018)HOUSE FINANCE 519
02/22/2017 01:30 PM House FINANCE
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Audio | Topic |
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Start | |
HB48 | |
HB24 | |
HB57 || HB59 | |
Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ | HB 24 | TELECONFERENCED | |
+ | HB 48 | TELECONFERENCED | |
+= | HB 57 | TELECONFERENCED | |
+= | HB 59 | TELECONFERENCED | |
+ | TELECONFERENCED | ||
+ | TELECONFERENCED | ||
+ | TELECONFERENCED | ||
HOUSE BILL NO. 48 "An Act relating to the composition of the State Board of Registration for Architects, Engineers, and Land Surveyors; extending the termination date of the State Board of Registration for Architects, Engineers, and Land Surveyors; and providing for an effective date." 1:35:34 PM REPRESENTATIVE SAM KITO III, SPONSOR, introduced himself and offered a potential conflict of interest. He noted that he was currently a licensed civil engineer and his practice of engineering was governed by the board HB 48 would extend. The bill would extend the sunset on the Architects, Engineers and Land Surveyors (AELS) Board. He detailed that since 1998 there had been a landscape architect position on the board as a non-voting member. The bill recommended extending the board in accordance with the recommendations by the Division of Legislative Audit and to make the temporary non-voting position a permanent voting position. The change would mean the number of board members would increase from 10 to 11, but it merely recognized that the temporary non-voting member would become a permanent board member. The bill did not remove any other representation from the board and it added a landscape architect as a full voting member. The bill would enable the individual representing landscape architects to fully engage in their position and participate as a voting member on the board. Currently the individual reviewed applications for landscape architecture in the state and was performing duties as a full board member with the exception of being able to vote. He relayed that the Division of Legislative Audit and individuals from the Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development (DCCED) were available to address the committee. 1:38:30 PM Representative Thompson asked if there was a statutory requirement for the board to meet in person. Representative Kito replied as far as he knew there was no statutory requirement, but he deferred to the department for verification. There were opportunities for telephonic meetings; however, applications were typically presented in paper form and reviewed in person. He detailed that board members broke up by licensing division and reviewed the applications for the director. He concluded there were reasons for having the meetings in person. Representative Kawasaki looked at the fiscal note and remarked that adding the 11th member did not change any travel and per diem. He asked for verification that the individual had already been allowed to claim travel and per diem as a non-voting member. Representative Kito answered there would be no additional costs related to the 11th member who was already receiving financial support for travel and per diem. There was a recognition as a sunset that there would be costs to the board, but they were existing costs. Representative Kawasaki looked at the information in the fiscal note from Legislative Audit that mentioned the number of new registrations of landscape architects existed over FY 13 to FY 15 - he observed it looked like only two or three. He asked how many licensed landscape architects there were in Alaska. Representative Kito replied there were about 50. 1:40:50 PM KRIS CURTIS, LEGISLATIVE AUDITOR, ALASKA DIVISION OF LEGISLATIVE AUDIT, relayed the division had conducted a sunset audit with the purpose of determining whether the board was serving the public's interest and whether it should be extended. Overall, the division had determined that the board was serving the public's interest by effectively registering and regulating architects, engineers, land surveyors, and landscape architects. The division recommended the maximum eight-year board extension allowable in statute. The division did not have an additional recommendation. She noted that the audit included some information that may be helpful as the committee considered the bill. She referred to page 7 of the audit and pointed out that the board had a deficit in the end of FY 13 of approximately $260,000 and fees had been increased. At the end of FY 15 the board had a surplus of over $740,000 at which point the fees had been decreased. A schedule of the fees was on page 8 of the audit. Ms. Curtis continued that the audit also addressed board composition. A temporary, non-voting member position had been created in 1998 and authorized in uncodified law as temporary. The position did act like a voting member in all regards except it did not vote. The original intent of the position was to assist the board in drafting regulations in representing the landscape architect profession. The division had interviewed seven board members as part of the audit and all had been in support of making the position permanent. Co-Chair Seaton asked DCCED to address its fiscal note. 1:43:17 PM JANEY HOVENDEN, DIRECTOR, DIVISION OF CORPORATIONS, BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL LICENSING, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, she explained the bill did not ask for any additional funding for the board. The note included funding to allow the board to continue functioning. There was $27,800 for one staff and eleven members to travel to four board meetings per year, $200 for advertising and public notice, $1,000 for board member training and conference fees, $500 for honorariums and stipends for board meetings, and $100 for commission sales for the booking of board meetings. The items were paid for with receipt supported services provided by licensees. Co-Chair Seaton OPENED public testimony. MICHELE ELFERS, LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT, ENGINEERING AND PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT, CITY OF JUNEAU, spoke in support of the legislation. She shared that she was also a member of the Alaska Professional Design Council - the group represented architects, engineers, landscape surveyors, and landscape architects through member organization throughout the state. The board supported the bill including the extension of the sunset and the creation of a permanent voting board seat for landscape architects. 1:45:54 PM COLIN MAYNARD, BOARD OF ARCHITECTS, ENGINEERS, AND LAND SURVEYORS, ANCHORAGE (via teleconference), testified in support of the bill. The board unanimously approved with the bill in its entirety. He detailed that the landscape architect board member represented the board at the National Organization of Landscape Architect Registration Boards and provided an essential part of the AELS's mission. He did not believe the board was required to meet face-to-face; however, in the past there had been efforts to teleconference, but there had been situations when some members could not hear very well. Additionally, it was very hard to do an application review when two board members had to review and discuss an application. The board had found it was much easier to meet in person. Co-Chair Seaton noted Vice-Chair Gara had joined the meeting. Co-Chair Seaton CLOSED public testimony. Vice-Chair Gara addressed the fiscal note from DCCED. There was a $29,600 cost in FY 18 extending through FY 23. The costs would be paid with designated general funds. 1:49:05 PM Representative Wilson MOVED to REPORT HB 48 out of committee with individual recommendations and the accompanying fiscal note. There being NO OBJECTION, it was so ordered. HB 48 was REPORTED out of committee with a "do pass" recommendation and with one previously published fiscal note: FN1 (CED). 1:49:44 PM AT EASE 1:52:17 PM RECONVENED