03/15/1995 03:06 PM House L&C

 HL&C - 03/15/95                                                               
 HB 46 - ARCHITECT, ENGINEER & SURVEYOR REGULATION                           
                                                                               
 The next order of business was HB 46 which the committee had                  
 heard the previous week.  CHAIRMAN KOTT said there were concerns              
 with the language being too liberal.  He asked the prime sponsor              
 of HB 46 to come forward.                                                     
                                                                               
 REPRESENTATIVE JOE GREEN, PRIME SPONSOR OF HB 46, stated that the             
 dialogue was now being centered around the exemption portion,                 
 Section 3, of the bill.  Under Article 10, the Architects,                    
 Engineers and Land Surveyors (AE&LS) had objection to the way it              
 was written.  They felt it was too broad and wouldn't adequately              
 protect the public.  He stated that currently members of the                  
 AE&LS and other factions would be governed by this legislation,               
 and they were meeting to work out some compromised language and               
 would have a resolution by March 20.  He stated if a resolution               
 was not worked out, there was backup language that would make                 
 Alaska like the 36 other states that have the same exemptions.                
                                                                               
 Number 536                                                                    
                                                                               
 MIKE TAURIANINEN testified via teleconference that he was opposed             
 to HB 46 as written, regarding Section 2, use of the term                     
 "engineer."  He stated this was contrary to terminology in                    
 Section 3 referring to the practice of engineering.  He stated                
 that it was open for anyone to practice engineering.  Mr.                     
 Taurianinen reiterated that compromise language needs to be                   
 worked out so that some engineering work done by oil companies,               
 communications and utilities companies can be accomplished.                   
                                                                               
 Number 550                                                                    
                                                                               
 CHAIRMAN KOTT stated that they had the CS before them.                        
                                                                               
 REPRESENTATIVE GREEN commented that Mr. Taurianinen might not                 
 understand Section 2.  He explained that the AE&LS had requested              
 this language because they felt this tightens the language rather             
 than loosens it.  He explained that when leaving the word                     
 "registered" in, then a person could say, "I'm a professional                 
 engineer, hire me."  He's not professing to be a registered                   
 engineer, he's just professing to being a professional engineer.              
 By dropping the word "registered," he is illegal.                             
                                                                               
 REPRESENTATIVE ROKEBERG inquired if the AE&LS were meeting to                 
 compromise on a solution for this bill.                                       
                                                                               
 REPRESENTATIVE GREEN responded that it was not a solution for the             
 bill, but a solution for the differences of opinion of subsection             
 10 of Section 3.  To find language that would satisfy the                     
 concerns of the AE&LS for public safety and still not burden                  
 companies that employ large numbers of engineers that are not                 
 subject to public domain was the problem.                                     
                                                                               
 REPRESENTATIVE ROKEBERG asked if the board was working on the                 
 change or people from the various professions.                                
                                                                               
 REPRESENTATIVE GREEN stated that a representative from the AE&LS,             
 Mr. Dave Adams, is working with a representative for the other                
 entities.                                                                     
                                                                               
 Number 619                                                                    
                                                                               
 REPRESENTATIVE ELTON wondered if he should be comfortable with an             
 existing exemption that allows a four-plex to be inhabited by                 
 families that hasn't had a professional engineer or architect                 
 involved in it.                                                               
                                                                               
 REPRESENTATIVE GREEN concurred with Representative Elton.  He                 
 stated that his home is one of those and the only thing he's                  
 relying on are building codes.                                                
                                                                               
 Number 640                                                                    
                                                                               
 TAPE 95-17, SIDE B                                                            
 Number 000                                                                    
                                                                               
 SHARON MACKLIN, ALASKA PROFESSIONAL DESIGN COUNCIL (APDC),                    
 clarified that the meeting on March 20, would be attended by a                
 representative from ARCO, the cable TV organization, two                      
 representatives from APDC, and one from the telecommunications                
 industry.                                                                     
                                                                               
 Number 021                                                                    
                                                                               
 REPRESENTATIVE ROKEBERG asked if that would include an architect              
 and a land surveyor.                                                          
                                                                               
 MS. MACKLIN replied architects, engineers and land surveyors                  
 trust each other and they feel comfortable with the                           
 representation.                                                               
                                                                               
 Number 037                                                                    
                                                                               
 REPRESENTATIVE KUBINA asked what the Chairman's intention was.                
                                                                               
 CHAIRMAN KOTT answered that if it was the will of the committee,              
 they would move the bill to the House State Affairs Committee,                
 with a letter of transmittal indicating that they would expect                
 some movement in Section 3, subsection 10, that would take care               
 of the language problem.                                                      
                                                                               
 REPRESENTATIVE KUBINA made the motion.                                        
                                                                               
 CHAIRMAN KOTT stated that there was one more person on                        
 teleconference.                                                               
                                                                               
 JIM ROWE, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, ALASKA TELEPHONE ASSOCIATION (ATA),             
 testified via teleconference in favor of CSHB 46.                             
                                                                               
 Number 083                                                                    
                                                                               
 REPRESENTATIVE KUBINA made a motion to move CSHB 46(L&C) out of               
 committee with individual recommendations, and accompanying zero              
 fiscal note.                                                                  
                                                                               
 CHAIRMAN KOTT asked for any objections.  Hearing none, CSHB
(L&C) was passed out of committee.