Legislature(1997 - 1998)
02/10/1998 03:37 PM Senate STA
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* first hearing in first committee of referral
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+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
Number 410
CSHB 137(L&C) - BOARD OF VETERINARY EXAMINERS; LICENSE
CHAIRMAN GREEN brought CSHB 137(L&C) before the committee as the
final order of business. She directed attention to a draft SCS
CSHB 137(STA).
SENATOR WARD moved the adoption of SCS CSHB 137(STA), version "B."
Hearing no objection, the Chairman stated the committee substitute
was adopted as a working document.
ANNETTE KREITZER, staff to the Senate Labor & Commerce Committee,
explained that SB 92, which is the companion piece of legislation
on the Senate side to HB 137, moved out of the Senate Labor &
Commerce Committee last session into the Senate State Affairs
Committee and the House bill moved over to the Senate State Affairs
Committee as well. During the interim, the Board of Veterinarians
looked at the proposed language and came up with something that
would work for all of them. The State Affairs SCS encompasses the
debate of the board, veterinarians not on the board and the
Department of Commerce & Economic Development.
Ms. Kreitzer, addressing the differences between the new committee
substitute and the bill passed by the House, directed attention to
Section 2, subsection (a)(2), which was amended to ensure that a
licensee before applying for a license has within the preceding
five years passed the national exams approved by the board. She
explained that this doesn't mean that they are limited to one exam.
The board, in its consultation with national experts, has been told
that there is a move nationwide to consolidate the two tests that
are given now into one test in future, so they wanted to just deal
with it prospectively now. Generally, graduates of veterinary
schools will pass the national exams concurrent with graduation,
but the board wanted that five-year requirement language on page 1,
lines 13 and 14.
Ms. Kreitzer said the change on page 2, lines 6 - 8 of the State
Affairs SCS is a significant change from the House version. It
adds the requirement that the applicant is in good standing, as
defined by the board in regulation, instead of the previous
requirement of passing a practical examination of skills if
required by the board. A proposed regulation will encompass all of
the items that are being deleted, and the bill, through the
effective date, gives the board 18 months to accomplish this
regulation. She added that nothing will change until the effective
date.
Section 3 sets out the requirements that a person seeking a
temporary license must meet. It provides that the temporary
licensee must have graduated from an accredited veterinary school
or successfully completed the foreign veterinary graduate
certification process, must be in good standing as defined in
regulation, and must have paid all required fees.
Section 4 amends the portions of AS 08.98.184 that deal with
licensure by credentials for veterinarians who already are licensed
in another state, territory, or country
On page 3, lines 5 and 6, the State Affairs SCS removes the
requirement that licensed veterinarians entering Alaska practice
must past what is called the clinical competency test. Ms.
Kreitzer said this was done after much discussion with national
experts and much discussion among board members. They felt it
wasn't necessary for veterinarians who were coming to Alaska as
long as they passed the written Alaska exam.
On page 3, lines 8 through 12 language is removed that speaks to
what is good standing and puts it into regulation.
Section 5 sets out the requirements that a person seeking a
temporary permit must meet three of the same requirements as a
temporary licensee. The person must have graduated from an
accredited veterinary school, must be in good standing as defined
in regulation, and must have paid all required fees.
Sections 7 and 8 allow the board to begin work immediately on the
regulations. Ms. Kreitzer said there was some concern that they
wanted to have the direction and that they could have the ability
on these regulations.
Concluding her overview, Ms. Kreitzer said Section 9 provides that
all changes to the testing and licensing of veterinarians take
effect January 1, 2000.
Number 488
MS. KREITZER, speaking to a proposed amendment to SCS CSHB
137(STA), explained that earlier in the day is was discovered that
AS 08.98.140 speaks to the content of the examination and it spells
out the National Board Examination Committee which they are trying
to get rid of. To leave it in would directly conflict with what is
in the committee substitute and the agreement with the board, the
veterinarians and the department.
Number 498
SENATOR MILLER moved the adoption of the following amendment to SCS
CSHB 137(STA). Hearing no objection, CHAIRMAN GREEN stated the
amendment was adopted and would be incorporated into the SCS.
Amendment No. 1
Page 3, line 11: Insert AS 08.98.140 is repealed
Number 510
MS. KREITZER commented that she has followed this issue through
with the Senate Labor & Commerce Committee and has been in contact
with all the veterinarians, the Senate State Affairs staff, the
Board of Veterinarians and the department to ensure that everyone
has come to a consensus. She said although she cannot say that
every veterinarian in the state will be happy, she has not talked
to one who has opposed the legislation.
Number 520
SENATOR WARD moved SCS CSHB 137(STA), as amended, and the
accompanying zero fiscal note be passed out of committee with
individual recommendations. Hearing no objection, it was so
ordered.
Number 528
DR. JON BASLER, testifying via teleconference from Anchorage,
informed the committee that he is the immediate past president of
the Alaska Veterinary Medical Association, and when he testified on
HB 137 bill last year, there was concern among the veterinarians
for it. However, he said the changes that have been proposed by
the Board of Veterinarians Examiners are within the parameters of
what has been discussed at their meetings and all of the major
concerns have been addressed. As a current member of the executive
board of the Alaska Veterinary Medical Association, he said the
association backs the bill as it is currently written.
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