Legislature(2023 - 2024)BARNES 124

05/12/2023 03:15 PM House LABOR & COMMERCE

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Audio Topic
03:19:32 PM Start
03:19:59 PM SB126
03:35:37 PM Adjourn
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
-- Recessed to 5/13 at 11am --
+ Bills Previously Heard/Scheduled TELECONFERENCED
*+ HB 159 REGISTER INTERIOR DESIGNERS TELECONFERENCED
<Bill Hearing Canceled>
<Bill Hearing Rescheduled from 05/10/23>
+= SB 45 DIRECT HEALTH AGREEMENT: NOT INSURANCE TELECONFERENCED
Scheduled but Not Heard
-- Public Testimony <2 Minute Time Limit> --
<Bill Hearing Rescheduled from 05/10/23>
+= HB 47 DIRECT HEALTH AGREEMENT: NOT INSURANCE TELECONFERENCED
Scheduled but Not Heard
-- Public Testimony <2 Minute Time Limit> --
<Bill Hearing Rescheduled from 05/10/23>
+= SB 126 ARCHITECT/ENGINEER REGISTRATION BOARD TELECONFERENCED
Moved SB 126 Out of Committee
-- Public Testimony <2 Minute Time Limit> --
<Bill Hearing Rescheduled from 05/10/23>
                    ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE                                                                                  
          HOUSE LABOR AND COMMERCE STANDING COMMITTEE                                                                         
                          May 12, 2023                                                                                          
                           2:50 p.m.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
MEMBERS PRESENT                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Representative Jesse Sumner, Chair                                                                                              
Representative Justin Ruffridge, Vice Chair                                                                                     
Representative Dan Saddler                                                                                                      
Representative Stanley Wright                                                                                                   
Representative Ashley Carrick                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
MEMBERS ABSENT                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Representative Mike Prax                                                                                                        
Representative Zack Fields                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
COMMITTEE CALENDAR                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
SENATE BILL NO. 126                                                                                                             
"An  Act  relating  to  the   State  Board  of  Registration  for                                                               
Architects,   Engineers,   and   Land  Surveyors;   relating   to                                                               
architects, engineers, land  surveyors, and landscape architects;                                                               
and providing for an effective date."                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
     - MOVED SB 126 OUT OF COMMITTEE                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR SENATE BILL NO. 45(L&C) AM                                                                             
"An Act  relating to  insurance; relating  to direct  health care                                                               
agreements;  relating  to  the  duties of  the  director  of  the                                                               
division of  insurance in the Department  of Commerce, Community,                                                               
and Economic Development; and providing for an effective date."                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
     - SCHEDULED BUT NOT HEARD                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
HOUSE BILL NO. 47                                                                                                               
"An Act  relating to  insurance; relating  to direct  health care                                                               
agreements; and relating to unfair trade practices."                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
     - SCHEDULED BUT NOT HEARD                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
HOUSE BILL NO. 159                                                                                                              
"An Act  relating to registered  interior designers  and interior                                                               
design; establishing requirements for  the practice of registered                                                               
interior  design; renaming  the State  Board of  Registration for                                                               
Architects,  Engineers, and  Land  Surveyors the  State Board  of                                                               
Registration  for Design  Professionals;  relating  to the  State                                                               
Board  of  Registration  for Design  Professionals;  relating  to                                                               
liens  for   labor  or  materials  furnished;   relating  to  the                                                               
procurement  of interior  design services;  and providing  for an                                                               
effective date."                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     - BILL HEARING CANCELED                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
BILL: SB 126                                                                                                                  
SHORT TITLE: ARCHITECT/ENGINEER REGISTRATION BOARD                                                                              
SPONSOR(s): LABOR & COMMERCE                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
04/11/23       (S)       READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS                                                                        
04/11/23       (S)       L&C, FIN                                                                                               
04/12/23       (S)       L&C AT 1:30 PM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)                                                                      
04/12/23       (S)       Heard & Held                                                                                           
04/12/23       (S)       MINUTE(L&C)                                                                                            
04/19/23       (S)       L&C AT 1:30 PM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)                                                                      
04/19/23       (S)       Moved SB 126 Out of Committee                                                                          
04/19/23       (S)       MINUTE(L&C)                                                                                            
04/21/23       (S)       L&C RPT 3DP                                                                                            
04/21/23       (S)       DP: BJORKMAN, GRAY-JACKSON, DUNBAR                                                                     
04/21/23       (S)       FIN REFERRAL REMOVED                                                                                   
05/10/23       (S)       TRANSMITTED TO (H)                                                                                     
05/10/23       (S)       VERSION: SB 126                                                                                        
05/10/23       (H)       L&C AT 3:15 PM BARNES 124                                                                              
05/10/23       (H)       -- MEETING CANCELED --                                                                                 
05/11/23       (H)       READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS                                                                        
05/11/23       (H)       L&C                                                                                                    
05/12/23       (H)       L&C AT 3:15 PM BARNES 124                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
WITNESS REGISTER                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR JESSE BJORKMAN                                                                                                          
Alaska State Legislature                                                                                                        
Juneau, Alaska                                                                                                                  
POSITION STATEMENT:  As prime sponsor, presented SB 126.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
LOREN LEMAN, Member                                                                                                             
Board  of  Registration  for   Architects,  Engineers,  and  Land                                                               
Surveyors                                                                                                                       
Anchorage, Alaska                                                                                                               
POSITION STATEMENT:   Provided  invited testimony,  discussed the                                                             
sectional analysis, and answered  questions during the hearing on                                                               
SB 126.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
ACTION NARRATIVE                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
3:19:32 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR JESSE SUMNER  called the House Labor  and Commerce Standing                                                             
Committee  meeting  to  order  at   2:50  p.m.    Representatives                                                               
Carrick, Wright, Ruffridge,  and Sumner were present  at the call                                                               
to order.   Representative Saddler arrived as the  meeting was in                                                               
progress.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
          SB 126-ARCHITECT/ENGINEER REGISTRATION BOARD                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
3:19:59 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR SUMNER announced that the  first order of business would be                                                               
SENATE  BILL NO.  126, "An  Act relating  to the  State Board  of                                                               
Registration  for  Architects,  Engineers,  and  Land  Surveyors;                                                               
relating to architects, engineers,  land surveyors, and landscape                                                               
architects; and providing for an effective date."                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
3:20:24 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR JESSE  BJORKMAN, Alaska State Senator,  as prime sponsor,                                                               
presented  SB   126.    He  paraphrased   the  sponsor  statement                                                               
[included  in  the  committee  packet],  which  read  as  follows                                                               
[original punctuation provided]:                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     Senate Bill  126 is legislation requested  by the State                                                                    
     Board  of Registration  for Architects,  Engineers, and                                                                    
     Land  Surveyors (AELS  Board). In  many respects  it is                                                                    
     like a "Revisor's Bill."                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
     One of its more substantive  changes is to clarify that                                                                    
     an electrical  and a mechanical  engineer may  serve on                                                                    
     the Board  at the same  time. This could be  helpful as                                                                    
     these two  disciplines of  engineering have  the second                                                                    
     and   third   most   registrants   in   Alaska   (civil                                                                    
     engineering   has  the   largest  number).   The  Board                                                                    
     believes this is what the  Legislature intended when it                                                                    
     called out that  one of the 11 seats must  be filled by                                                                    
     a mechanical  or electrical  engineer and  another seat                                                                    
     is  to  be filled  by  another  discipline not  already                                                                    
     represented.  However, the  Department  of Law  advises                                                                    
     that  the   current  language   may  not   allow  this.                                                                    
     Clarifying this will reduce  the potential for conflict                                                                    
     over  eligibility to  serve and  may  better serve  the                                                                    
     professions.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
     Another  change is  to clarify  that  a registrant  who                                                                    
     seals and  signs a document must  do the work or  be in                                                                    
     responsible charge  of it and  the work must be  in the                                                                    
     registrant's  field of  practice.  An  attorney in  the                                                                    
     Department  of Law  recently opined  that  the way  the                                                                    
     sentence is  currently written could be  interpreted as                                                                    
     "or,"  meaning either  condition  alone is  sufficient.                                                                    
     This  is not  how the  professions have  long practiced                                                                    
     this,  nor how  regulations are  written. So  the Board                                                                    
     requests   this  clarification   to  reduce   potential                                                                    
     conflict  between statute  and regulation,  as well  as                                                                    
     guard the professions.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
     The  bill provides  numerous updates  to the  statutes,                                                                    
     acknowledges   that  documents   are  now   transmitted                                                                    
     electronically,  and adds  limited partnerships  to the                                                                    
     corporate structures  that can be  issued certification                                                                    
     for professional practice.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
3:21:48 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
LOREN  LEMAN,  Member,  Board  of  Registration  for  Architects,                                                               
Engineers, and Land Surveyors, noted  he had previously served as                                                               
a legislator in  the Alaska State Legislature.  He  said one task                                                               
of  the board  has been  to  update statutes  and regulations  to                                                               
align with "how things are done  today."  He characterized SB 126                                                               
as like a  revisor's bill; it does not seek  to change policy but                                                               
rather to  make updates.   He highlighted parts of  the sectional                                                               
analysis [included in  the committee packet], which  read in full                                                               
as follows [original punctuation provided]:                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
     Section 1:  Amends AS 08.48.011(c)  to clarify  that an                                                                    
     electrical  engineer  and  a  mechanical  engineer  may                                                                    
     serve  on  the  Board  concurrently.  This  could  help                                                                    
     better  serve   two  of  the  largest   disciplines  of                                                                    
     engineering in Alaska.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
     Section 2:  Amends AS 08.48.021(c)  to lower  from four                                                                    
     to two  years the  time that a  person who  has "termed                                                                    
     out"   must   wait   before   becoming   eligible   for                                                                    
     reappointment to  the Board.  This would be  helpful in                                                                    
     filling vacancies that may be difficult to fill.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
     Section  3:  Amends  AS   08.48.055(a)  to  change  the                                                                    
     statutory title  of the main staff  person who supports                                                                    
     the  Board to  Executive  Administrator,  an update  to                                                                    
     modernize  the title  and more  accurately reflect  the                                                                    
     scope of duties.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
     Section  4:  Amends  AS   08.48.055(b)  to  change  the                                                                    
     statutory  title to  Executive  Administrator and  adds                                                                    
     that the  Board may  delegate reviews and  approvals of                                                                    
     comity  applications.  This  delegation is  already  in                                                                    
     regulation for  certain limited circumstances,  and the                                                                    
     Department  of  Law  has advised  that  the  delegation                                                                    
     needs to be codified in statute.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
     Section 5: Amends AS 08.48.071(f)  because the Board no                                                                    
     longer administers  the exams. The testing  function is                                                                    
     now   performed   by  national   professional   testing                                                                    
     organizations  at  considerable  cost  savings  to  the                                                                    
     State.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
     Section  6: Amends  AS 08.48.091  because the  Board no                                                                    
     longer administers the exams.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
     Section  7: Amends  AS  08.48.101(a)  to add  statutory                                                                    
     authority  for   the  Board  to  provide   guidance  on                                                                    
     overlapping "border  issues" or "gray areas"  among the                                                                    
     design professions  by regulation or policy.  The Board                                                                    
     is  already   providing  this  guidance,   this  change                                                                    
     clarifies the authority in statute.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
     Section  8:   Amends  AS   08.48.111  to   add  limited                                                                    
     partnerships   to   entities   that   may   be   issued                                                                    
     certificates  of  authorization.  The State  of  Alaska                                                                    
     issues  business and  professional licenses  to limited                                                                    
     partnerships.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
     Section   9:  Amends   AS   08.48.121   to  allow   the                                                                    
     investigator to be able to  dismiss a complaint without                                                                    
     having to come to the Board in certain cases.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
     Section  10: Amends  AS 08.48.171  to delete  statutory                                                                    
     language regarding  applications for  registration that                                                                    
     is   better  suited   to  and   currently  covered   by                                                                    
     regulation.                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     Section  11-  13 Amend  AS  08.48.191(a),(b)  & (d)  to                                                                    
     update language  to provide better  certainty regarding                                                                    
     when conditions for an application  are met, and less a                                                                    
     process  based  on  opinion when  the  Board  registers                                                                    
     architects in Alaska.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
     Section 14:  Amends AS 08.48.201(a) to  allow the Board                                                                    
     to set  in regulation specific requirements  for forms,                                                                    
     statements, and references rather than in statute.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
     Section 15:  Amends AS 08.48.211 to  modernize statutes                                                                    
     and  delete repetitive  language. Certificates  are now                                                                    
     issued electronically and the  Board no longer places a                                                                    
     physical  seal on  hard copy  certificates. Registrants                                                                    
     are advised they can print  their own certificates from                                                                    
     an electronic file.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
     Section 16:  Amends AS  08.48.215(a) to  streamline the                                                                    
     language.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
     Section 17:  Amends AS 48.08.221 to  remove duplicative                                                                    
     language and  allow the  Board to  provide requirements                                                                    
     for professional seals in  regulation. Also responds to                                                                    
     a  recent Department  of  Law  opinion about  potential                                                                    
     conflict between  statute and regulation  by clarifying                                                                    
     that work  sealed and  signed by  a registrant  must be                                                                    
     done  by  the  registrant or  under  their  responsible                                                                    
     charge and be in the registrant's field of practice.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
     Section  18:  Amends  AS 08.48.231(a)  to  add  limited                                                                    
     partnerships  and  update  the language  to  allow  for                                                                    
     electronic transmission of documents.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
     Section  19  -  28:  Amends AS  08.48.241(a)   (h),  AS                                                                    
     08.48.251,   and  AS   48.08.281(a)   to  add   limited                                                                    
     partnerships.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
     Section  29:  Amends  AS 08.48.331(a)  to  add  limited                                                                    
     partnerships and  update the  name for  fire protection                                                                    
     systems to be consistent with industry.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
     Section  30:  Amends  AS 08.48.341(4)  to  add  limited                                                                    
     partnerships.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
     Section  31:   Amends  AS  08.48.341(7)  to   make  the                                                                    
     language consistent with industry practice.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     Section  32: Amends  AS 08.48.341(16)  by revising  the                                                                    
     definition of  landscape architecture to  be consistent                                                                    
     with  the other  professional  definitions and  reflect                                                                    
     language  used within  the profession  to describe  its                                                                    
     work.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
     Sections  33-36:  Amends  AS  08.48.341(17-19,  22)  to                                                                    
     remove unnecessary language.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
     Section  37: Amends  AS 08.48.341  to add  new language                                                                    
     that provide a definition  for "fire protection system"                                                                    
     that  is  consistent  with the  industry,  and  defines                                                                    
     "limited  partnership"  and  "registrant" as  they  are                                                                    
     used in this section.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
     Section  38: Repeals  AS  08.48.061, removing  language                                                                    
     regarding  travel expenses  and appropriations  that is                                                                    
     more   appropriately   covered  elsewhere   in   Alaska                                                                    
     Statutes.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
     Section 39: Provides for an immediate effective date.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
MR. LEMAN  noted that  SB 126  had passed in  the Senate  with no                                                               
opposition,  and  he  encouraged  the House  Labor  and  Commerce                                                               
Standing Committee to pass the bill out of committee.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
3:26:13 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  SADDLER   asked  whether   the  board   had  ever                                                               
witnessed  a situation,  as described  in the  sponsor statement,                                                               
wherein, for example, a mechanical  engineer "has taken advantage                                                               
of the  ambiguity in  the statute"  to sign  and seal  a document                                                               
that should have been done by a civil engineer or vice versa.                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
MR. LEMAN  answered, "We're not aware  of this."  He  spoke about                                                               
the necessity  to be registered  and experienced in  a particular                                                               
area.                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
3:27:34 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE WRIGHT  pointed to  language in  Section 2  of the                                                               
bill  that would  lower the  time limit  from four  years to  two                                                               
years.   He asked if  it is difficult  to recruit members  to the                                                               
board.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
MR. LEMAN  answered that  in some  of the categories  it is.   He                                                               
credited  the  legislature  for allowing  some  flexibility,  for                                                               
example,  that if  a  mining  engineer cannot  be  found, then  a                                                               
petroleum  or chemical  engineer could  serve on  the board.   He                                                               
indicated  that  the  board  would  like  to  give  "the  various                                                               
disciplines of engineering" opportunities to  serve.  He said the                                                               
four-year  limit  is more  restrictive  than  necessary for  this                                                               
board.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  WRIGHT speculated  this issue  may be  reason for                                                               
the desire to move SB 126 quickly.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
MR. LEMAN answered  that while the proposed  legislation may seem                                                               
minor "in  the grand  scheme," it  is an  important issue  to the                                                               
board.   He expressed appreciation  to the committee  for hearing                                                               
the bill  and expressed hope  that the committee would  report SB
126 [out of committee].                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
3:30:46 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE RUFFRIDGE  expressed appreciation for  Mr. Leman's                                                               
efforts to see this legislation moved through the legislature.                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
MR. LEMAN  spoke about the  commitment of time each  board member                                                               
gives.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
3:32:27 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MR.  LEMAN, in  response to  Representative Saddler,  spoke about                                                               
the board's stance related to interior designers.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
3:34:37 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  SUMNER  opened   public  testimony  on  SB   126.    After                                                               
ascertaining there  was no one  who wished to testify,  he closed                                                               
public testimony.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
3:35:05 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE RUFFRIDGE moved to report  SB 126 out of committee                                                               
with individual recommendations and  the accompanying zero fiscal                                                               
note.  There  being no objection, SB 126 was  reported out of the                                                               
House Labor and Commerce Standing Committee.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
3:35:37 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
ADJOURNMENT                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
The House Labor  and Commerce Standing Committee  was recessed at                                                               
3:35 p.m., to be continued May 13, 2023, at 11:00 a.m.                                                                          

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