Legislature(2011 - 2012)BUTROVICH 205
01/24/2012 09:00 AM Senate STATE AFFAIRS
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| SJR10 | |
| SB150 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| *+ | SJR 10 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | SB 130 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | SB 150 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | SB 136 | TELECONFERENCED | |
SB 150-MILITARY TRAINING CREDIT
9:39:15 AM
CHAIR WIELECHOWSKI announced the consideration of SB 150.
Speaking as the sponsor, he explained that the bill would help
veterans get occupational and academic credit for military
training and work experience. The United States Department of
Defense has designated this effort as a top priority across the
nation and has already passed similar legislation in Washington,
Utah, Colorado, and West Virginia. Many other states have
introduced similar legislation.
CHAIR WIELECHOWSKI said a committee substitute (CS) for SB 150,
version E, was before the committee.
SENATOR PASKVAN moved to adopt CSSB 150, labeled 27-LS1117\E, as
the working document.
CHAIR WIELECHOWSKI objected for discussion purposes.
9:40:09 AM
KENDRA KLOSTER, staff to Senator Bill Wielechowski, sponsor of
SB 150, explained the changes in SB 150. Many of the changes are
at the request of various departments. The first change is on
page 2, lines 1-3; additional language was added stating a
"temporary license is issued to a board which is already
authorized to issue a temporary license". Previous language
would have required all boards to issue temporary licenses that
were not necessary.
MS. KLOSTER described the second change on page 2, lines 13 and
14; the expediting language was removed. Another change on page
2, lines 12-15, came from the United States Department of
Defense; the words "diploma or certificate" were added.
CHAIR WIELECHOWSKI requested an overview of the bill.
MS. KLOSTER explained that the United States Department of
Defense has been working on a national effort to help alleviate
the problem of military service members not receiving credit for
training received while they were in the service. As of June
2011 one million veterans were unemployed and the jobless rate
for post-911 veterans was at 13.3 percent. Young male veterans
experience an unemployment rate of 21.9 percent, according to
the Department of Defense. The goal is to assist military
veterans to find employment at a faster rate. It requires the
Department of Education to accept military education, training,
and service. It also requires the president of the University of
Alaska, the Alaska Commission on Post-Secondary Education, and
the Department of Labor to implement policies and procedures in
order to accept military credit. This is already being done at
the University of Alaska, Fairbanks, and the University of
Alaska, Anchorage, in some circumstances.
9:44:09 AM
DIANE BARRANS, Executive Director, Post-Secondary Education
Commission, Department of Education and Early Development
(DEED), offered to answer questions about SB 150.
SENATOR PASKVAN asked if DEED was supportive of recognizing the
diplomas issued by the military.
MS. BARRENS explained that the Post-Secondary Education
Commission has not taken a position on the issue. She said she
applauds the efforts of the committee to promote assessing and
providing credits for military education and training. It is
outside the norm of what the Post-Secondary Education Commission
does, which is more of a consumer protection entity.
9:47:03 AM
MARK SAN SOUCI, Military Liaison, Department of Defense,
Washington, D.C., spoke in support of SB 150. He thanked the
committee for taking up the bill. He read from the following
written testimony:
Mr. Chair and committee, thank you for this
opportunity to express Department of Defense support
for the veterans credit Senate Bill 150. My name is
Mark San Souci, Department of Defense Regional Liaison
for Military Families for the Northwest, working for
the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Military
Family and Community Policy. I'm sorry I can't be
there in person today, but hope to be able to visit
for future hearings on this issue.
First off, we thank you for sponsoring and considering
SB 150. Last year, with one million veterans
unemployed; with a post 9/11 unemployment rate of
13.3%; and an unemployment rate for 18-24 year old
veterans at 21.9%, the Department of Defense began
supporting efforts in the states to ask states to give
separating Service members credit, so that they may
not be held back from finding employment or finishing
a degree.
We are asking legislative leaders like you to
establish policies that ensure separating Service
members do not have to repeat requirements completed
during their military career to obtain academic credit
or an occupational license.
Last year, four states enacted new laws to help grant
our veterans credit towards licensing and/or academic
credit. So far for the 2012 session, there are 18
bills in 10 more states resembling the one before you
today that we ask you to support.
It is important to us that you know we are not asking
for direct licensure if it is not equivalent. In cases
where the regulatory agency or board determines
partial credit but it saves time and expense and helps
get them there, even if not completely, that is what
we seek. We only seek credit where credit is due.
A couple of other points to consider: You and I have
already paid for this veteran's training within the
Department of Defense schools and with years of
experience while serving our Nation with our federal
tax dollars. Also, the more credit given to a veteran
towards licensing or a degree or certification, the
more school slots can be made available to civilians,
especially in programs where there may be waiting
lists to get in.
This issue is now the top of the Top Ten Key Issues of
the Defense State Liaison Office. The Department of
Defense has many highly qualified schools which train
service members in a wide variety of skills and
occupations. The Department of Defense is also, right
now, working feverishly with the US Department of
Labor to link military occupations with
training/experience programs that most closely align
to private sector licensure requirements, while also
asking some state regulatory authorities in pilot
states like Washington, to review select military
occupations to determine whether the training and
experience are sufficient to render licensing in that
occupation.
As you very well know, Alaska is home to thousands of
veterans, and is a desired location for separating and
retiring military members when choosing where to live
after leaving the military. A 2010 Defense Manpower
Data Center Study reported that Alaska had 1,286
military separate or retire to Alaska in Fiscal Year
2010. At roughly 1,286 annually, and more to come with
draw-downs, we can expect that highly qualified ex-
military people will continue to enjoy Alaska's
quality of life, and many will continue to choose
Alaska when transitioning into civilian careers.
Finally, I'm frequently asked what other states are
doing in this area. In 2011, Washington state passed
two bills - one for medical occupations and one for
non-medical occupations, into law as of July 22nd.
Washington modifies the statutory chapters of 21
commercial occupations and 14 healthcare related
occupations. It is considered by us as Best Practice
legislation. Your bill is modeled after Washington
State and also would be a Best Practice. Washington
State's Department of Health and Department of
Licensing accepted this challenge in legislation last
year with 'zero' as fiscal notes, and they have the
demands of a big military state with over 6,000
veterans annually choosing to separate or retire from
the military and live there.
We ask this committee and this legislature in Alaska
to join the other ten states, rising now in session,
and considering this help for our veterans, along with
the four (WA, UT, CO, WV) that did it last year. Thank
you for taking up this issue so quickly, and for your
consideration. I stand by for any questions you may
have.
9:53:23 AM
SENATOR PASKVAN said he understood that about 1,300 military
personnel per year retired to Alaska and asked if those numbers
would change due to the pending "drawdown".
MR. SAN SOUCI termed the projections speculative, and he
suggested sticking with around 1,300 as the number.
SENATOR PASKVAN said he thought SB 150, a best practices
legislation, would make retired military personnel more
employable more quickly.
MR. SAN SOUCI agreed.
9:56:30 AM
RIC DAVIDGE, President, Vietnam Veterans of America, Anchorage,
Alaska, testified in support of SB 150. He thanked the committee
for considering the bill. He reported that the University of
Alaska is already embracing the idea of credit for military
training and experience. Some military personnel have better,
more current training than that found in some vocational
schools.
SENATOR GIESSEL wondered which occupations are impacted by the
legislation.
MR. SAN SOUCI offered to provide the committee with that
information. He read from a national list of occupations: air
conditioning mechanics, automotive repair, barbering, boiler
operators, contractors, cosmetologists, dental hygienists,
electricians, emergency medical services, harbor marine pilots,
home inspection investigators, license practical nurses,
nutritionists, dieticians, oil and solid fuel technicians,
personnel employment, professional planners, plumbers, private
security, radiologists, respiratory care, roofing, and
sanitarians.
10:00:30 AM
MS. KLOSTER addressed Senator Giessel's question. She gave an
example of a person in the nursing field who had difficulty
transferring her nursing experience in the service for credit.
SENATOR GIESSEL suggested the individual take the issue to the
University Board of Regents. She spoke of the difficulty of
credit transfer between university campuses.
MS. KLOSTER said that the university has accepted over 15,000
military credits, but a concern remains whether the credits can
be used for a degree program or just as electives. A system is
currently in place at UAF.
MR. SAN SOUCI offered to provide further information about
occupations covered under Washington State's new law.
SENATOR GIESSEL declined.
10:04:06 AM
CHRIS CHRISTENSEN, Associate Vice President, State Relations,
University of Alaska (UA), addressed Section 2 of the bill. He
emphasized that the university is committed to offering quality
educational experiences to active military veterans and their
dependents. He said G.I. JOBS, a magazine and web portal,
identified UAA and UAS as military-friendly institutions. Only
15 percent of all colleges and universities and vocational
schools received that designation.
MR. CHRISTENSEN agreed that transfer of credits is a big issue.
The university has extensive policies and procedures in place
for accepting credit, including military credit. The Board of
Regents has adopted a written policy that the campuses accept
and transfer as much credit as is appropriate to a student's new
degree and graduation requirements. All campuses have
established transfer credit policies designed to give maximum
credit for courses and training taken elsewhere, including in
the military. He said to keep in mind that a degree from an
institution is a representation to a potential employer and to
others that the holder has learned what the institution has
deemed important for the degree. He concluded that awarding
appropriate credit for military training is one of the
university's core responsibilities and a way to show commitment
to recruit and retain military students. The university is
working on a matrix which shows what each campus offers.
10:08:03 AM
MR. CHRISTENSEN explained that the credit transfer process is
managed at the campus level. All three campuses accept transfer
credit based on recommendations made by the American Council of
Education (ACE), which has an agreement with the Defense
Department to review military training and experience for the
award of equivalent college credit. The three university
campuses are also members of the Service Members Opportunity
Colleges (SOC), a consortium of about 1,900 colleges and
universities that enroll military veterans and dependents in
special degree programs. The purpose is to let service members
earn a degree, not just accumulate credits.
He related that UAA is currently accepting an average of about
51 credits for military veterans who have attended an accredited
military institution. He gave examples of the number of military
credits needed for specific degrees. Neither UAA nor UAF has a
limitation on the number of military credits accepted. UAF is
working on developing a minor based on typical military credits.
Last year, UAA awarded over 15,000 military transfer credits.
The university reflects prevailing social values in welcoming
and honoring the military.
CHAIR WIELECHOWSKI asked if the university has a position on the
bill.
MR. CHRISTENSEN responded that it would take a position shortly.
10:12:39 AM
SENATOR GIESSEL pointed out that the university is already
implementing the goals stated in the bill.
MR. CHRISTENSEN agreed that Alaska is fully on board with the
program and the bill probably addresses a bigger picture -
states that do not offer military credit. He did not know what
would really change in Alaska. He concluded that it might
address the perception of a problem.
CHAIR WIELECHOWSKI recalled many instances of students having
trouble with credit transfers.
MR. CHRISTIANSON agreed. He said there is an attempt to track
down such stories and solve the problems. He requested that the
committee let him know about credit transfer problems.
SENATOR GIESSEL asked if the university was advertising this
service.
MR. CHRISTENSEN replied he believed so. He said he had seen many
pages on the university's website.
SENATOR PASKVAN inquired whether SB 150 manifests a statewide
goal of best practices. He stressed the importance of having a
state goal.
10:17:58 AM
DON HABEGER, Director, Division of Corporations, Business, and
Professional Licensing, Department of Commerce, Community, and
Economic Development (DCCED), supported the intent of SB 150. He
voiced concern about Section 1 and the words "the department or
applicable board shall accept". The way it is written, DCCED
interprets it to mean that if the person has training that
cannot be determined to have met Alaska standards, then the
person receives licensure.
CHAIR WIELECHOWSKI said his staff had been working with the
department and will continue to do so. He asked for an
alternative to the problem language. He suggested his office and
the department continue to work together.
CHAIR WIELECHOWSKI addressed the fiscal note. He pointed out
that all other states have zero fiscal notes. He inquired if the
department expects the note to be zero, also.
10:22:12 AM
SARA CHAMBERS, Professional Licensing Program Coordinator,
Division of Corporations, Business, and Professional Licensing,
Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development
(DCCED), addressed the department's fiscal note for SB 150. She
spoke of what was needed to get the structure in place.
SENATOR WIELECHOWSKI asked if there was more to do to zero out
the fiscal note.
MS. CHAMBERS agreed to work in that direction.
SENATOR PASKVAN agreed that the language "shall accept" in
Section 1 was important. He pointed to language on line 9 of
Section 1, "equivalent to some or all of the qualifications" and
explained that his expectation was that equivalent or better
military education, training, and service would be acceptable as
credit.
10:24:58 AM
MR. HABEGER said the problem is determining what level of
training is acceptable. Senator Paskvan suggested the language
is giving the university president wide latitude. He questioned
if the state should be setting a separate goal.
CHAIR WIELECHOWSKI suggested "shall accept relevant".
SENATOR GIESSEL spoke of outstanding healthcare providers. She
wished to illuminate the purpose of the regulation of 67
professions.
MR. HABEGER understood the regulations were for public
protection; an expectancy for standards of care within
professions.
CHAIR WIELECHOWSKI closed public testimony and set SB 150 aside.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| SB150.Vietnam Veterans of America Support Letter.pdf |
SSTA 1/24/2012 9:00:00 AM SSTA 1/26/2012 9:00:00 AM |
SB 150 |
| SB150.Sponsor Statement.pdf |
SSTA 1/24/2012 9:00:00 AM |
SB 150 |