Legislature(2021 - 2022)SENATE FINANCE 532
02/24/2022 09:00 AM Senate FINANCE
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Audio | Topic |
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Start | |
SB151 | |
SB173 | |
SJR12 | |
Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ | SB 151 | TELECONFERENCED | |
+ | SB 173 | TELECONFERENCED | |
+ | SJR 12 | TELECONFERENCED | |
+ | TELECONFERENCED |
SENATE BILL NO. 173 "An Act relating to the practice of dentistry; relating to dental radiological equipment; and providing for an effective date." 9:45:25 AM Co-Chair Bishop invited the bill sponsor and staff to the table. 9:46:03 AM Senator David Wilson, Sponsor, explained that the bill would transfer dental radiological equipment inspections from the Board of Dental Examiners to the Department of Health and Social Services and would establish a specialty dental license in the State of Alaska. He stated that the changes had been suggested by members of the dental industry and had been seen in previous legislation considered by the committee. He stated that the updates were in the interest of public safety. 9:47:22 AM JASMIN MARTIN, STAFF TO SENATOR WILSON, reiterated the two changes that would occur under the legislation. 9:49:16 AM Senator Olson wondered whether the bill was directed toward personnel or equipment inspection. Ms. Martin replied that the bill was directed toward equipment inspection. Senator Olson wondered whether adding the responsibility under DHSS would be an additional burden to the department. Ms. Martin said that the bill would create a new position to take on the additional work. Senator Olson asked whether there had been any past violations that had caused loss of a license. Senator Wilson responded that no one had lost a license yet, but that it would happen soon as there were some licensees that were out of compliance. Senator Olson found it troublesome that someone could be threatened with closure due to a change in statute. Ms. Martin relayed that inspection of equipment was already a requirement under statute. 9:51:34 AM Ms. Martin addressed a sectional analysis document (copy on file): Section 1: Conforming language in AS 08.01.065(c). Section 2: Adds a new section (k) to AS 08.01.065 (Title 8. Business and Professions, Chapter 1. Centralized Licensing, Section 065. Establishment of fees) Requires the Board of Dental Examiners to establish and collect fees on behalf of the Department of Health and Social Services for the inspection of dental radiological equipment. Ms. Martin continued with the sectional: Section 3: Adds new sections to AS 08.36 (Title 8. Business and Professions, Chapter 36. Dentistry) AS 08.36.242. License to practice as a specialist required. Establishes that a dentist may not advertise using the term "specialist," the name of a specialty, or other phrases that suggest they are a specialist unless they have a specialist license as established. AS 08.36.243. Qualification for specialist; scope of practice. (a) Establishes that in order to qualify for a specialist licenses a person must (1) Hold a dental license issued by the board and (2) Meet the qualifications of a specialist as established by the board in regulation. (b) In creating the qualifications for a specialist license, the board shall consider the standards of a nationally recognized certifying entity approved by the board. (c) Establishes that a dental specialist can only claim to be a specialist in the specialty they hold a license in. Sec. 08.36.245. Suspension or revocation of specialist license. Establishes that a board may suspend or revoke a specialist license as set by AS 08.36.315. Ms. Martin continued to address the sectional analysis: Section 4: Adds a new section (d) to AS 44.29.020 (Title 44. State Government, Chapter 29. Department of Health and Human Services, Section 020. Duties of the Department) Requires DHSS to establish standards of registration, use, record keeping, and inspection of dental radiological equipment in compliance with federal law. Section 5: Conforming language in AS 44.46.029 Section 6: Conforming language in AS 46.03.022 Section 7: Repeals: AS 08.36.075: Section of law requiring the Board of Dental Examiners to set standards for inspection of dental radiological equipment. Placed under DHSS by section 4. AS 18.05.065, AS 18.60.525(e), and AS 44.29.027: Sections of law prohibiting DHSS from regulating dental radiological equipment. Section 8: Allows the Board of Dental Examiners, the Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development, and the Department of Health and Social Services to adopt regulations in line with this act. Section 9: Allows the departments and board to immediately begin setting regulations. Section 10: Set a delayed effective date for the rest of the act to July 1, 2023. Co-Chair Bishop asked whether the delayed effective date was synched up to when the new regulations would be complete. Ms. Martin deferred to the department. 9:54:10 AM Senator von Imhof had questions about Section 3, which established that the board could suspend or revoke a license. She assumed there were dentists that had claimed to be specialists without having gone through the certification process. Ms. Martin answered "yes." Senator von Imhof asked whether there were other penalties that could be issued once the statute changes. Ms. Martin deferred the question to the chair of the Board of Dentistry. 9:55:55 AM DR. DAVID LOGAN, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, ALASKA DENTAL SOCIETY (via teleconference), noted that he would focus his remarks on the x-ray inspection aspect of the bill. He explained that there were dentists that could face a compliance issue at the end of the calendar year. He said that the industry had been unable to find a private contractor to perform inspections in the state. He said that the need was recognized and attempts to find an inspector have been fruitless, which prompted the shift of the responsibility to DHSS. He said that inspectors had to be specifically trained for the job. 9:58:14 AM Senator Olson asked about the alleged shortage of qualified inspectors in the state. He asked how the issue could be corrected. Mr. Logan thought it would be difficult to get inspectors into the state on a part-time basis. He believed that the hiring of the position would be best handled by the state. Senator Olson asked about how dentists in rural Alaska and in Tribal health corporations had their equipment inspected. Mr. Logan noted there were state certified inspectors on staff at those facilitate. 10:00:27 AM DAVID NIELSON, CHAIR, DENTAL BOARD OF EXAMINERS (via teleconference), thanked Senator Wilson for introducing the bill. He referenced He stated that order for the board to address licensing issues, specialty licensing categories were need, that could hold up under scrutiny. He noted that typically a post-graduate included at least two additional years after dentistry school. Ha said that lack of specificity in the statute had resulted din the denial of specialist practice licensees. He believed that the legislation would give the public a way to know whether they were being treated by a certified specialist. 10:04:25 AM Co-Chair Bishop OPENED public testimony. 10:04:51 AM JAYME PARKER, SECTION CHIEF, PUBLIC HEALTH LABORATORIES, DIVISION OF PUBLIC HEALTH, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES (via teleconference), testified that the radiological program at the state health lab currently oversees 1000 devices across the state. She stated that the work was done by a single health physicist. She said that to take on the estimated 2,200 to 2,400 additional devices the division would need an additional radiological health physicist and a part-time administrator to help with travel and outreach. She relayed that while the division had the capability to the work, they lacked capacity. She related that the devices were only required to be inspected every 6 years, which meant that inspections could be broken down into approximately 400 per year. 10:06:44 AM Co-Chair Bishop CLOSED public testimony. 10:06:49 AM AT EASE 10:07:12 AM RECONVENED Senator Wilson urged the committee to support the bill. SB 173 was HEARD and HELD in committee for further consideration. 10:07:54 AM AT EASE 10:09:42 AM RECONVENED
Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
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SJR 12 Sponsor Statement.pdf |
HL&C 3/21/2022 3:15:00 PM SFIN 2/24/2022 9:00:00 AM SSTA 5/4/2021 3:30:00 PM |
SJR 12 |
SJR 12 GPO Explainer 2.8.21.pdf |
HL&C 3/21/2022 3:15:00 PM SFIN 2/24/2022 9:00:00 AM |
SJR 12 |
SJR 12 Letter of Support 2.9.22.pdf |
HL&C 3/21/2022 3:15:00 PM SFIN 2/24/2022 9:00:00 AM |
SJR 12 |
SJR 12 Letter of Support 5.5.21.pdf |
HL&C 3/21/2022 3:15:00 PM SFIN 2/24/2022 9:00:00 AM |
SJR 12 |
SJR 12 Presentation.pdf |
HL&C 3/21/2022 3:15:00 PM SFIN 2/24/2022 9:00:00 AM |
SJR 12 |
SJR 12 WEP GPO Key Points 2.9.22.pdf |
HL&C 3/21/2022 3:15:00 PM SFIN 2/24/2022 9:00:00 AM |
SJR 12 |
SJR 12 WEP Explainer 11.16.21.pdf |
HL&C 3/21/2022 3:15:00 PM SFIN 2/24/2022 9:00:00 AM |
SJR 12 |
SB 151 Sponsor Statement.pdf |
HL&C 4/13/2022 3:15:00 PM SFIN 2/24/2022 9:00:00 AM SL&C 2/9/2022 1:30:00 PM |
SB 151 |
SB 151 Supporting Document - 2021 Audit Summary.pdf |
HL&C 4/13/2022 3:15:00 PM SFIN 2/24/2022 9:00:00 AM SL&C 2/9/2022 1:30:00 PM |
SB 151 |
SB 151 Supporting Document - 2021 Complete Audit.pdf |
HL&C 4/13/2022 3:15:00 PM SFIN 2/24/2022 9:00:00 AM SL&C 2/9/2022 1:30:00 PM |
SB 151 |
SB 173 Sponsor Statement.pdf |
SFIN 2/24/2022 9:00:00 AM SL&C 2/9/2022 1:30:00 PM |
SB 173 |
SB 173 Sectional Analaysis version I.pdf |
SFIN 2/24/2022 9:00:00 AM SL&C 2/9/2022 1:30:00 PM |
SB 173 |
SB 173 Written Testimony Received as of 1.31.22.pdf |
SFIN 2/24/2022 9:00:00 AM SL&C 2/9/2022 1:30:00 PM |
SB 173 |
SJR 12 Responses to SFIN Committee Questions.pdf |
SFIN 2/24/2022 9:00:00 AM |
SJR 12 |