Legislature(2023 - 2024)BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)
05/03/2024 01:30 PM Senate LABOR & COMMERCE
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Audio | Topic |
---|---|
Start | |
SB225 | |
HB253 | |
HB17 | |
HB237 | |
HB309 | |
HB254 | |
Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+= | SB 225 | TELECONFERENCED | |
+ | TELECONFERENCED | ||
+= | HB 253 | TELECONFERENCED | |
+= | HB 17 | TELECONFERENCED | |
+= | HB 237 | TELECONFERENCED | |
+= | HB 309 | TELECONFERENCED | |
+= | HB 254 | TELECONFERENCED | |
HB 309-DELEGATION OF ROUTINE OPTOMETRY SERVICES 1:58:12 PM CHAIR BJORKMAN reconvened the meeting and announced the consideration of HOUSE BILL NO. 309 "An Act relating to the practice of optometry; and relating to the delegation of routine services of optometry." 1:58:52 PM REPRESENTATIVE JUSTIN RUFFRIDGE, District 7, Alaska State Legislature, Juneau, Alaska, sponsor of HB 309, said the bill seeks to allow optometrists to delegate some of the routine services that they perform inside their clinics to staff that have the training necessary to do so. He said the bill would allow the Board [of Examiners in Optometry] to adopt regulations that would authorize an optometrist to delegate some routine services to an agent of the optometrist. Those regulations would require that the agent acquire a license to perform those duties because it's a delegated duty. HB 309 would prohibit the optometrist from delegating any duties for pain management or opioid use or addiction, and also require the board to define what a routine service would be. He noted that some of those services were described during testimony from optometrists. He noted HB 309 was a bit of a clean-up bill as some of these practices are ongoing, and the bill was brought about by some changes in regulation that were attempted by the Board [of Examiners in Optometry] that could not be processed because optometrists did not have the authority to delegate routine services. 2:00:35 PM CHAIR BJORKMAN opened public testimony on HB 309. 2:00:59 PM REBECCA WILBUR, representing self, Fairbanks, Alaska, testified in support of HB 309. She said she was an Alaska Native person, Yupik Eskimo and optometrist from Quinhagak, Alaska and that she practiced in Fairbanks, Alaska. She said she used optometric assistants on a daily basis and that they improve efficiency and help contain costs. She offered enthusiastic support for House Bill 309 which would grant the Alaska Board of Examiners in Optometry the authority to draft regulation regarding the delegation of routine optometric services. 2:02:01 PM CHAIR BJORKMAN closed public testimony on HB 309. 2:02:07 PM CHAIR BJORKMAN solicited the will of the committee. 2:02:10 PM SENATOR GRAY-JACKSON moved to report HB 309, work order 33- LS1189\A, from committee with individual recommendations and attached fiscal note(s). 2:02:27 PM CHAIR BJORKMAN found no objection and HB 309 was reported from the Senate Labor and Commerce Standing Committee.