05/05/2023 03:15 PM House LABOR & COMMERCE

            HB 137-PHYSICAL THERAPY LICENSURE COMPACT                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
3:25:40 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
VICE CHAIR  RUFFRIDGE announced  that the  next order  of business                                                              
would be  HOUSE BILL NO.  137, "An Act  relating to  an interstate                                                              
physical therapy  licensure compact; relating to  the licensure of                                                              
physical therapists,  physical therapist assistants,  occupational                                                              
therapists,  and occupational  therapy  assistants; and  providing                                                              
for an effective date."                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
3:26:00 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
RACHAEL GUNN, Staff,  Representative Stanley Wright,  Alaska State                                                              
Legislature, on  behalf of  Representative Wright, prime  sponsor,                                                              
stated that  HB 137 would bring  Alaska in the  Physical Therapist                                                              
Licensure Compact.   She addressed HB 138 [which  was heard during                                                              
the  meeting  at 3:35  p.m.],  on  behalf  of the  prime  sponsor,                                                              
Representative  Wright.  She  stated that HB  138 would  bring the                                                              
state  into   the  Audiologist   and  Speech  Language   Therapist                                                              
Compact.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
3:26:37 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
VICE  CHAIR   RUFFRIDGE  opened   public  testimony  on   HB  137.                                                              
[Testifiers  also offered  public  testimony on  HB  138.   Public                                                              
testimony on HB 138 was opened during the meeting at 3:35 p.m.]                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
3:26:56 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
ERICK  CORDERO   GIORGANA,  Vice  President,   Operations,  Alaska                                                              
Policy Forum  (APF), stated that APF  supports both HB  137 and HB
   because   these   proposed    bills   would   increase   the                                                              
opportunities  for professionals  in these  fields.  He  explained                                                              
that   licensure   compacts   reduce  barriers   caused   by   the                                                              
differences in requirements  from state to state.   He argued that                                                              
these  compacts would  ultimately  attract  more professionals  to                                                              
Alaska.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
3:29:22 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  FIELDS expressed concern  about APF's  support for                                                              
the  proposed  legislation;  however,  he  stated  that  he  would                                                              
continue his support.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
3:29:33 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER  asked whether  APF has a  blanket position                                                              
on licensure compacting.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
MR.  GIORGANA   answered  that  it  supports   licensure  compacts                                                              
regardless of the [medical profession] addressed in a bill.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
3:30:43 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
ALEC  KAY, President,  Alaska  Chapter  of the  American  Physical                                                              
Therapy  Association, stated  that the  American Physical  Therapy                                                              
Association  supports  HB  137,  as it  will  improve  safety  and                                                              
access  to care.   He  said that  Alaska faces  delays in  gaining                                                              
licensure,  leading professionals  to choose  other states,  which                                                              
has a negative economic and healthcare impact on the state.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
3:33:44 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MARGE  STONEKING,  Advocacy  Director, AARP  Alaska,  stated  that                                                              
AARP  Alaska supports  HB 137  and HB  138, as  these bills  would                                                              
increase  access  to care  for  Alaska's  aging population.    She                                                              
expressed  the   opinion  that  the  compacts  would   reduce  the                                                              
barriers when recruiting professionals from other states.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
3:35:26 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
VICE  CHAIR RUFFRIDGE  after ascertaining  that there  was no  one                                                              
else who wished to testify, closed public testimony on HB 137.                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
[HB 137 was held over.]                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
          HB 138-AUD. & SPEECH-LANG INTERSTATE COMPACT                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
3:35:39 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
VICE CHAIR  announced  that the  next order of  business would  be                                                              
HOUSE BILL NO. 138,  "An Act relating to an audiology  and speech-                                                              
language  interstate   compact;  relating   to  the   practice  of                                                              
audiology  and  the practice  of  speech-language  pathology;  and                                                              
providing for an effective date."                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
3:35:52 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
VICE CHAIR RUFFRIDGE opened public testimony on HB 138.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
3:36:18 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
DAVID  JAMISON, representing  self,  stated that  he  is a  speech                                                              
therapist and offered  support for HB 138.  He said  that there is                                                              
a severe  shortage of  speech therapists  in Alaska and  expressed                                                              
the  opinion that  joining the  compact would  reduce barriers  in                                                              
recruitment.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
3:37:45 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  SADDLER  questioned  the  current length  of  time                                                              
before licensure would be granted.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
MR.  JAMISON answered  that, before  licensure  is granted,  there                                                              
are  other  required certifications.    He  said that  the  entire                                                              
process can  take up to  six months.   In response to  a follow-up                                                              
question, he  said that the  bill would  reduce the time  frame by                                                              
at least  six weeks.   He  answered that  the proposed  bill would                                                              
not reduce the  amount of time required to gain  certification for                                                              
the various insurance companies.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
3:42:58 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
ANDREA  TOTH, President,  Alaska  Speech and  Hearing  Association                                                              
(ASHA), shared  that she  has worked as  a speech therapist  since                                                              
1993 and  expressed support for HB  138.  She argued  that joining                                                              
the compact  would improve  care for  military families  and allow                                                              
military spouses  to begin work  more quickly in  their associated                                                              
medical  fields.  She  stated that  ASHA supports  the bill,  and,                                                              
because  Alaska does  not have  an audiology  and speech  language                                                              
therapist board, ASHA could provide oversight.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
3:44:31 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  SADDLER  questioned  the  licensure  certification                                                              
process for audiologists and speech language therapists.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
MS.  TOTH answered  that  national  certification  is required  to                                                              
receive  a license  in Alaska  and  offered that  ASHA is  already                                                              
involved in this process.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
3:45:48 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
VICE CHAIR  RUFFRIDGE, after  ascertaining that  there was  no one                                                              
else who wished to testify, closed public testimony on HB 138.                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
[HB 138 was held over.]