Legislature(1993 - 1994)
03/31/1994 01:40 PM Senate L&C
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* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
SENATOR KELLY introduced SB 305 (LICENSING OF LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS) S) as the next order of business, and he directed attention to a proposed amendment to the bill. SENATOR SUZANNE LITTLE, prime sponsor of SB 305, explained the legislation requires landscape architects who design outdoor spaces be licensed in the State of Alaska. Forty-four other states have licensed landscape architects and have asserted the fact that they are another professional group that provides a very vital service to businesses in the state. Senator Little pointed out that because of the lack of licensure in the State of Alaska more landscape architecture work is performed by out-of-state landscape architecture firms than by instate offices. Many federal contracts and private contracts as well require licensed professionals so that excludes the instate professionals unless they happen to be licensed in another state. Senator Little said the amendment to the bill will serve to solve some of the difficulty in "turf" between architects, engineers, and landscape architects. She said another architect could continue doing their landscape drawings that they have been doing in the past. They would not need to employ a landscape architect in order to complete those drawings. Senator Little urged the committee's favorable consideration of SB 305 and expressed her willingness to work with those concerned to iron out any remaining wrinkles in the bill. Number 335 SENATOR KELLY asked if the legislation provides a registration fee structure. SENATOR RIEGER said if this comes under occupational licensing, they have a blanket policy that every profession has to raise fees to cover their own licensure. JOSH FINK, committee aide, referred to page 2, line 23, which, he said, deals with the registration fees collected. Number 350 GEORGE DAVIDSON, representing the Architects, Engineers & Land Surveyors Board, said the board has not had the opportunity to discuss the impacts of the registration of landscape architects and how those impacts would affect current professions that they have. He noted the board has sent a letter to the committee asking for some time to work with landscape architects to come to a resolution of concerns, and to not increase the size of the AELS Board, nor designate a specific seat for the landscape architects. Speaking to the amendment to add a subsection (b) to AS 48.281, Mr. Davidson said it would help to clarify some of the concerns that the board had. Also, he thought the definition of "landscape architecture" would help clarify the issue. Number 402 DWAYNE ADAMS, representing Land Design North in Anchorage, said the timing of the requirement date for the submittal of the bill unfortunately got in the way of their ability to work with the registration board and to set up a dialogue because it was before the board met. Addressing the fiscal note to the bill, Mr. Adams said the addition of one staff person should be shared amongst all the professions that are regulated, and that travel to two meetings per year should not be a requirement. Also, the fiscal note addresses testing on a biannual basis, and he said very few states truly test twice a year. Many states, especially states with low populations, test once every two years, and some states test once every three years. Speaking to the addition of a person on registration board, Mr. Adams pointed out that of the 45 registration boards that exist in the Council of Landscape Architects registration boards, only one of those, South Dakota, has no position for the landscape architect, but they are currently addressing legislation to include that person as a member of their board. Number 465 SENATOR KELLY inquired as to the educational requirements to be a landscape architect. DWAYNE ADAMS replied that it is a four or five year degree and varies across the nation. Number 516 WILLIAM MENDENHALL, a member of the Board of Architects, Engineers & Land Surveyors testifying on his own behalf from Fairbanks, stated his support for Senator Little's amendment to SB 305. He also stated that increasing the membership on the board to 11 members will be a significant cost. He suggested the bill be tabled so that the board can consider it at their next meeting in order to come up with a position either in support or opposition to it. Number 560 LEE HOLMES, a licensed mechanical engineer testifying from Anchorage on behalf of the Alaska Society of Professional Engineers, stated they are in favor of licensing landscape architecture, and they support Senator Little's amendment because it helps clarify some of the controversy that was in the original bill. However, they are opposed to increasing the size of the board to 11 people because they believe a nine-member board is adequate. A landscape architect could be assigned to the board in one of the architectural positions on the board. Number 580 JONATHAN SCHILK, a landscape architect testifying from Anchorage in support of licensing landscape architects, said he is a fairly new resident to the State of Alaska and he has found that landscape architects who practice in Alaska probably know a little bit more about what they need to do for Alaskans than landscape architects outside of Alaska. He suggested minimum quality and minimum standards should be maintained to protect the health, safety and welfare of the public. Number 018 DAVE GARDNER said he provides the Parks and Recreation Community Development Program for the Municipality of Anchorage, and they contract with landscape architects for park and trail development and projects. One of the things that would help protect the public health, safety and welfare is to have minimum proficiency requirements for those professionals, and the registration of landscape architects would help him do his job and address that issue. Number 035 BURDETT LENT, a Wasilla landscape architect with over 30 years experience in the field, two degrees and two licenses, voiced support for passage of SB 305. He also was a member of the ASLA committee in California, and during his tenure the registration of landscape architects was challenged, however, that registration was found to be in the public interest and was strengthened as a result of considerable testimony and effort. He stressed the importance of Alaska having licensed landscape architects because of its pristine and underdeveloped state, and it would beneficial to the public to have the participation of landscape architects located locally in Alaska who are familiar with the conditions. Number 060 ELISE HUGGINS, a board member of Friends of Neighborhoods in Anchorage, stated their support for the licensing of landscape architects. She noted she is also a landscape architect and owns her own business in Anchorage, and she spoke to the importance of licensing landscape architects for the health, safety and welfare of the public. Number 085 MIKE STRUNK, Chapter President of the Alaska Chapter of American Society of Landscape Architects, as well as Chief of Planning and Landscape Architecture for the National Park Service, stated his support for SB 305. He said in his practice of landscape architecture he has found that it is necessary to start with the development process as it applies both in the private sector and government in land use planning issues. Number 115 LINDA CYRA-KORSGAARD testified in support of SB 305 and Senator Little's proposed amendment. She pointed out specific areas of expertise that landscape architects design for such as parks, playgrounds, scenic vistas, trails and natural habitat. She noted that as part of the requirements for taking the test to be licensed in Alaska, all landscape architects are required to complete the course of arctic engineering offered in the State of Alaska. Number 170 PATRICK KROCHINA, President of the Alaska Chapter of American Institute of Architects (AIA) testifying from Anchorage, voiced support for the registration of landscape architects. He also supports having indigenous landscape architects that live and were brought up in the state practice landscape architecture in the state, and whatever it would take to allow that to have an advantage over outside firms coming to the state. Number 220 SENATOR KELLY agreed with previous testifiers that adding two members to the board is going to cost more money, and that when there is a board that registers 4,800 people, he wasn't certain that 50 people deserve a seat of their own on the board. SENATOR LITTLE expressed willingness to keep the same number of board members if there is an acceptable way to do so. However, she added that if an individual's landscape architecture license is called into question, it would be a great comfort to know that at least one member on that board has some landscape architecture background to make some judgements about that person's professional activities. Number 255 There being no other witnesses wishing to testify on SB 305, SENATOR KELLY suggested the bill be held over so that a committee substitute could be drafted, keeping the size of the board at nine members. He said the bill would be back before the committee at the Thursday, April 7 meeting.
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