05/01/2007 03:00 PM House HEALTH, EDUCATION & SOCIAL SERVICES

SB 85-EXTEND STATE MEDICAL BOARD                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
3:06:03 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR WILSON announced that the  first order of business would be                                                               
SENATE BILL  NO. 85, "An  Act extending the termination  date for                                                               
the State Medical Board; and providing for an effective date."                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
3:06:22 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
RICHARD BENAVIDES,  Staff to Senator  Bettye Davis,  Alaska State                                                               
Legislature,  presented  SB  85   on  behalf  of  Senator  Davis,                                                               
sponsor, paraphrasing  from the  sponsor statement which  read as                                                               
follows [original punctuation provided]:                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
     Senate Bill  85 extends  the sunset  date of  the State                                                                    
     Medical  Board until  June  30,  [2013], in  accordance                                                                    
     with  the recommendations  of the  Legislative Auditor.                                                                    
     The legislative  auditor has  concluded that  the State                                                                    
     Medical  Board  meets  the  statutory  requirements  of                                                                    
     public  need  and  should   continue  to  regulate  the                                                                    
     occupations under its purview.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
     The  board consists  of five  licensed physicians,  one                                                                    
     licensed physician  assistant, and two persons  with no                                                                    
     direct financial interests  in the healthcare industry.                                                                    
     The board  serves the  public interest  by establishing                                                                    
     the minimum education  and work experience requirements                                                                    
     that   individuals  must   meet   to  become   licensed                                                                    
     physicians,  osteopaths,  podiatrists,  paramedics  and                                                                    
     physician  assistants.   The board  further serves  the                                                                    
     public  interest  by investigating  complaints  against                                                                    
     licensed   professionals    and   taking   disciplinary                                                                    
     licensing action when appropriate.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
     The  board has  consistently  proven  to be  efficient,                                                                    
     therefore I  recommend that the State  Medical Board be                                                                    
     extended to June 30, 2013,  and ask for your support in                                                                    
     passage of this bill.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
3:07:37 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE ROSES moved to report  SB 85 out of committee with                                                               
individual  recommendations and  the  accompanying fiscal  notes.                                                               
Hearing no objection,  SB 85 was reported from  the House Health,                                                               
Education and Social Services Standing Committee.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
3:08:02 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  FAIRCLOUGH stated  that the  State Medical  Board                                                               
should meet Finding  and Recommendation No. 1  identified on page                                                               
7 of the audit report dated October 3, 2006.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
3:08:33 PM