Legislature(2013 - 2014)BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)
04/10/2014 01:30 PM Senate LABOR & COMMERCE
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| SB189 | |
| SB193 | |
| HB241 | |
| HB239 | |
| HB240 | |
| HB242 | |
| HB302 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| + | HB 241 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | HB 239 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | HB 240 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | HB 242 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | HB 302 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
| *+ | SB 189 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | SB 193 | TELECONFERENCED | |
HB 241-EXTEND BOARD OF MARITAL & FAMILY THERAPY
2:01:42 PM
CHAIR DUNLEAVY reconvened the meeting and announced the
consideration of HB 241. "An Act extending the termination date
of the Board of Marital and Family Therapy; and providing for an
effective date."
2:01:46 PM
REPRESENTATIVE LORA REINBOLD, Alaska State Legislature Juneau,
Alaska, sponsor of HB 241, stated that the bill extends the
termination date of the Board of Marital and Family Therapy
(BMFT) until June 30, 2018, based on an audit by the Division of
Legislative Audit. The auditors reviewed the activities of this
board and concluded that the board should be extended for just
four years because the board did not fully address two audit
recommendations in the previous sunset audit. The first
recommendation was to develop a strategy to address the need for
distance therapy and distance supervision. The second
recommendation was for the Office of the Governor and the board
to work together to fill vacant board seats in a timely manner.
Working with the Department of Law, the board determined that
any changes to the distance therapy and distance supervision
must be made statutorily. The board is working on drafting
legislation to address this issue and it will likely be
introduced next legislative session. The Office of the Governor
has also appointed members to the vacant seats.
REPRESENTATIVE REINBOLD stated that the Division of Legislative
Audit made a new recommendation for the Department of Commerce,
Community and Economic Development (DCCED) to continue efforts
to improve the investigative case management system integrity
and confidentiality. She concluded that the Board of Marital and
Family Therapy is operating in the best interest of the public
to protect and promote public health, welfare, and the safety of
Alaskans.
2:04:07 PM
KRIS CURTIS, Legislative Auditor, Legislative Audit Division,
Legislative Agencies and Offices, Juneau, Alaska, stated that
the agency conducted an audit of the Board of Marital and Family
Therapy and issued a report on June 2013. The primary objective
was to determine whether the board is operating in the public's
interest and should be extended. The audit concluded that the
board is serving in the public's interest by effectively
licensing and regulating marital and family therapists and
recommended a four-year extension. This is less than the full
eight-year statutory limit because the board has not fully
addressed a prior recommendation to pursue regulatory changes
necessary to protect the public's interest.
She said that while the board had initiated one regulatory
revision, it had not addressed the need for distance therapy and
distance supervision. Because marital and family therapy
services are not available in many areas of the state, distance
therapy and distance supervision are viewed as solutions to the
lack of local services. During the audit period the board
extensively researched and discussed the topic, but made little
progress moving beyond the discussion phase. The audit therefore
recommends that the board develop a strategy to address the need
for these services.
The audit also includes two additional recommendations. The
first is for the Office of the Governor and the board to work
together to fill vacant board seats. The second recommendation
is for the director of the Division of Corporations, Business
and Professional Licensing to continue efforts to improve the
case management system integrity and confidentiality. She noted
that this same recommendation is being made in all the
occupational board sunset audits for 2013.
MS. CURTIS stated that the division's case management system was
purchased with the expectation that it would be immediately
functional but this has not been the case. DCCED has pursued
improvements and the audit recommendation is to continue those
improvements.
SENATOR MICCICHE asked who reconciles findings and
recommendations with completions because he is noticing a trend
of repeat recommendations.
MS CURTIS replied there is no statutory requirement to follow
up, but the systematic problems related to division support will
be monitored every year.
SENATOR MICCICHE asked if there is a way to query findings.
MS CURTIS replied there is no way to query the status of a
recommendation, but the audit division has compiled the
recommendations for the last two years by department. These are
presented at finance meetings at the request of the chair and
the division hopes to put them online so they're available to
legislators.
SENATOR MICCICHE asked if an audit has ever determined that a
board or commission is no longer serving a public purpose.
MS CURTIS answered yes.
CHAIR DUNLEAVY asked the sponsor to speak to the fiscal note.
REPRESENTATIVE REINBOLD deferred to her staff.
CRYSTAL KIENEMAN, Staff, Representative Lora Reinbold, Alaska
State Legislature, Juneau, Alaska, stated that the fiscal note
shows an annual request of $7,700 for board meeting travel per
diem. The analysis section was revised in the other body to show
a summary of the board's true revenues and expenditures since
they weren't included in the operating line expenditures.
CHAIR DUNLEAVY asked her to review the analysis of revenues and
expenditures.
MS. KOENEMAN reported that the board revenues for FY12 and FY13
were $63,165 and the expenditures were $85,197, resulted in a
biennium deficit of $22,030. However, the cumulative surplus is
$112,195 because there was a carry forward balance from previous
years.
SENATOR MICCICHE questioned why a board surplus isn't zeroed out
through the budgeting process.
MS. KOENEMAN deferred the question.
CHAIR DUNLEAVY asked Ms. Chambers to address the question.
2:12:01 PM
SARA CHAMBERS, Director, Division of Corporations, Business and
Professional Licensing, Department of Commerce, Community and
Economic Development (DCCED), explained that boards and
commissions within Title 8 are allowed to roll forward their
surplus or deficit as a byproduct of the approximation of
licensing fees required in AS 08.01.065.
CHAIR DUNLEAVY opened and closed public testimony and solicited
a motion.
2:13:38 PM
SENATOR MICCICHE moved to report HB 242 from committee with
individual recommendations and attached fiscal note(s).
CHAIR DUNLEAVY announced that without objection HB 242 was
reported from the Senate Labor & Commerce Standing Committee.