01/22/2001 03:20 PM House L&C

                     ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE                                                                                 
            HOUSE LABOR AND COMMERCE STANDING COMMITTEE                                                                       
                         January 22, 2001                                                                                       
                             3:20 p.m.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
COMMITTEE CALENDAR                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
OVERVIEW: DIVISION OF OCCUPATIONAL LICENSING                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
TAPES                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
01-3, SIDES A & B                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                              
CALL TO ORDER                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  LISA MURKOWSKI,  Chair, called  the House Labor  and                                                            
Commerce Standing Committee meeting to order at 3:20 p.m.                                                                       
                                                                                                                              
PRESENT                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Committee members  present were Representatives  Murkowski,  Halcro,                                                            
Meyer, Kott, Crawford, and Hayes.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                              
SUMMARY OF INFORMATION                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
CATHERINE  REARDON, Director,  Division of  Occupational  Licensing,                                                            
Department of  Community and Economic Development,  gave an overview                                                            
of the division.                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
MS. REARDON  stated that  the division  administers 36 occupational                                                             
licensing  programs  in addition  to  the state  business  licensing                                                            
program.  The  division performs a number of functions  for over 130                                                            
occupations   within   the  36   occupational   licensing   programs                                                            
including:   distributing  applications  for initial  licensure  and                                                            
renewal, writing  and administering  professional examinations,  and                                                            
investigating  complaints  of  incompetent  or illegal  activity  by                                                            
professionals.   Ms Reardon discussed the investigation  process and                                                            
noted  that   very  few  frivolous   complaints  are  made   against                                                            
professionals.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
MS.  REARDON discussed  how  fees are  established  and stated  that                                                            
approximately  $2  million  is  generated   yearly  by occupational                                                             
licensing.    She  also noted  that  business  licensing  fees  have                                                            
remained at $25 per year since statehood.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
MS. REARDON  explained that the division  supports all boards  under                                                            
its purview  and noted that six are  up for sunset legislation  this                                                            
year.                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
MS. REARDON  also mentioned that an  omnibus occupational  licensing                                                            
bill is  anticipated this  session.  The  legislation will  increase                                                            
consistency  and effectiveness  of licensing  programs.  Some  major                                                            
features of the bill include:   updating the list of division duties                                                            
and powers,  revising  the fee  statute to require  financial  self-                                                            
sufficiency,  creating  a  list of  offenses  that are  grounds  for                                                            
disciplinary   action,  and  allowing   the  division  to   maintain                                                            
confidentiality of privileged information.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                              
ANNOUNCEMENTS                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
There were no announcements.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                              
COMMITTEE ACTION                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
The committee took no action.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
ADJOURNMENT                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                              
CHAIR  MURKOWSKI adjourned  the House  Labor  and Commerce  Standing                                                            
Committee meeting at 4:50 p.m.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
NOTE:   The meeting  was  recorded and  handwritten  log notes  were                                                            
taken.   A copy  of the tape(s)  and  log notes may  be obtained  by                                                            
contacting  the  House Records  Office  at  State Capitol,  Room  3,                                                            
Juneau, Alaska   99801 (mailing address), (907) 465-2214,  and after                                                            
adjournment of the second  session of the Twenty-Second Alaska State                                                            
Legislature  this  information  may be  obtained by  contacting  the                                                            
Legislative Reference Library at (907) 465-3808.