Legislature(2005 - 2006)BUTROVICH 205
03/22/2006 01:30 PM Senate HEALTH, EDUCATION & SOCIAL SERVICES
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| Board of Marital and Family Therapy || State Medical Board || Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority Board of Trustees || Board of Certified Direct-entry Midwives || Board of Nursing || Board of Examiners in Optometry || State Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy Board || Occupational Safety and Health Review Board || Professional Teaching Practices Commission || Board of Dental Examiners || Board of Psychologists and Psychological Associate Examiners || Board of Social Work Examiners | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
SENATE HEALTH, EDUCATION AND SOCIAL SERVICES STANDING COMMITTEE
March 22, 2006
1:33 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Senator Fred Dyson, Chair
Senator Gary Wilken, Vice Chair
Senator Lyda Green
Senator Kim Elton
Senator Donny Olson
MEMBERS ABSENT
All members present
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
Confirmation Hearings
Board of Marital and Family Therapy
Vivian C. Finlay - Wasilla
Curtis C. Schlosser - Homer
Dorothy (Dottie) Vanmeter Stanton - Anchorage
Patricia A. White - Juneau
CONFIRMATIONS ADVANCED
State Medical Board
Edward A. Hall - Anchorage
Nancy Puckett - Anchorage
Kevin M. Tomera - Anchorage
CONFIRMATIONS ADVANCED
Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority Board of Trustees
Laraine L. Derr - Juneau
CONFIRMATION ADVANCED
Board of Certified Direct-Entry Midwives
Barbara Norton - Anchorage
Holly M. Steiner - Wasilla
Mila (Melinda) A. Cosgrove - Juneau
CONFIRMATIONS ADVANCED
Board of Nursing
JoAnne Bell-Graves - Juneau
Catherine A. Giessel - Anchorage
CONFIRMATIONS ADVANCED
Board of Examiners in Optometry
Dennis A. Swarner - Kenai
CONFIRMATION ADVANCED
State Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy Board
Julius S. Brecht - Anchorage
CONFIRMATION ADVANCED
Occupational Safety and Health Review Board
Timothy O. Sharp - Fairbanks
Thomas A. Trosvig - Kodiak
CONFIRMATIONS ADVANCED
Professional Teaching Practices Commission
Craig Baker - Kodiak
Bonnie C. Gaborik - North Pole
Linda L. Gillam Black - Anchorage
CONFIRMATIONS ADVANCED
Board of Dental Examiners
Kevin L. Gottlieb, DDS - Anchorage
CONFIRMATION ADVANCED
Board of Psychologists and Psychological Associate Examiners
Lorin L. Bradbury - Bethel
CONFIRMATION ADVANCED
Board of Social Work Examiners
Gail La Rose-Henderson, MSW - Wasilla
CONFIRMATION ADVANCED
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
No previous action to record
WITNESS REGISTER
Dennis A. Swarner
Kenai, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Appointee to the Board of Examiners in
Optometry.
Catherine A. Giessel
Anchorage, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Appointee to the Board of Nursing.
JoAnne Bell-Graves
Juneau, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Appointee to the Board of Nursing.
Dorothy (Dottie) Vanmeter Stanton
Anchorage, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Appointee to the Board of Marital and
Family Therapy.
Kevin M. Tomera
Anchorage, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Appointee to the State Medical Board.
Lorin L. Bradbury
Bethel, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Appointee to the Board of Psychologists and
Psychological Associate Examiners.
Vivian C. Finlay
Wasilla, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Appointee to the Board of Marital and
Family Therapy.
Barbara Norton
Anchorage, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Appointee to the Board of Certified Direct-
Entry Midwives.
Nancy Puckett
Anchorage, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Appointee to the State Medical Board.
Kevin L. Gottlieb, DDS
Anchorage, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Appointee to the Board of Dental Examiners.
Linda L. Gillam Black
Anchorage, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Appointee to the Professional Teaching
Practices Commission.
Patricia A. White
Juneau, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Appointee to the Board of Marital and
Family Therapy.
Laraine L. Derr
Juneau, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Appointee to the Alaska Mental Health Trust
Authority Board of Trustees.
ACTION NARRATIVE
CHAIR FRED DYSON called the Senate Health, Education and Social
Services Standing Committee meeting to order at 1:33:17 PM.
Present were Senators Lyda Green and Chair Fred Dyson. Senators
Kim Elton, Gary Wilken and Donny Olson joined the meeting in
progress.
^CONFIRMATION HEARING(S)
^Board of Marital and Family Therapy
^State Medical Board
^Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority Board of Trustees
^Board of Certified Direct-Entry Midwives
^Board of Nursing
^Board of Examiners in Optometry
^State Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy Board
^Occupational Safety and Health Review Board
^Professional Teaching Practices Commission
^Board of Dental Examiners
^Board of Psychologists and Psychological Associate Examiners
^Board of Social Work Examiners
CHAIR DYSON announced that the committee would hear from the
governor's appointees to the foregoing boards and commissions
who were up for confirmation. He first called upon testifiers
who had time constraints.
SENATOR ELTON arrived at 1:34:23 PM.
DENNIS A. SWARNER, Kenai, appointee to the Board of Examiners in
Optometry, responded to Chair Dyson's questions. He explained
that he is an optometrist who was born and raised in Fairbanks.
He said he believes his main responsibility on the board will be
to protect the public.
CHAIR DYSON asked whether Dr. Swarner believes he could blow the
whistle on a fellow practitioner if that person was being
unprofessional.
DR. SWARNER answered that he believed so, yes.
1:35:26 PM
CATHERINE A. GIESSEL, Anchorage, appointee to the Board of
Nursing, responded to Chair Dyson's questions. She explained
that she has been doing this for the last three years, enjoys it
a great deal, believes she is doing a good job and would like to
continue. Saying the board clearly protects public safety
through regulation of the nursing practice, she added that big
issues right now include ensuring that nurses are competent to
continue practicing and ensuring that the entry level for nurse
practitioners is where it should be.
CHAIR DYSON, on another issue, requested that Ms. Giessel call
him sometime about mandatory overtime for nurses.
1:36:36 PM
JOANNE BELL-GRAVES, Juneau, appointee to the Board of Nursing,
answered Chair Dyson's questions, saying she was born and raised
in Alaska and believes she would be an asset to the board. She
specified that she is the public member of the board.
SENATOR WILKEN arrived at 1:36:43 PM.
1:37:04 PM
DOROTHY VANMETER STANTON, Anchorage, appointee to the Board of
Marital and Family Therapy, responded to Chair Dyson's
questions. She informed members that she was a teacher for many
years and a counselor after that. Even though she isn't
licensed in this state and doesn't practice, she's still
connected in an informal way and is dedicated to helping and
protecting people who are vulnerable.
1:38:18 PM
KEVIN M. TOMERA, Anchorage, appointee to the State Medical
Board, answered Chair Dyson's questions. Noting that he's
already serving on the board, Dr. Tomera said he has been here
since 1993 and believes he has an obligation to the medical
community and patients in Alaska. The major issues he sees for
patients are affordability - although it's not an issue for the
medical board - and quality.
SENATOR GREEN announced Dr. Tomera is her doctor. She
recommended him highly and acknowledged a conflict of interest.
1:39:29 PM
LORIN L. BRADBURY, Bethel, appointee to the Board of
Psychologists and Psychological Associate Examiners, responded
to Chair Dyson's questions, noting that he has been serving for
the last three years. Asked why he wants to continue, Dr.
Bradbury said he finds it interesting and believes it's
important to maintain a high standard within the discipline. He
highlighted the need for integrity. Saying he is on the fetal
alcohol syndrome disorder (FASD) team in Bethel, Dr. Bradbury
affirmed he'd met Chair Dyson some years ago at a meeting there.
1:40:42 PM
VIVIAN C. FINLAY, Wasilla, appointee to the Board of Marital and
Family Therapy, answered Chair Dyson's questions. She said this
is her seventh year, and the board didn't have anyone but her on
it for a while. Thus she has a history and believes it is
important to continue to help instruct the new people about what
is done and what perhaps could be done better.
SENATOR OLSON arrived at 1:41:58 PM.
1:42:09 PM
BARBARA NORTON, Anchorage, appointee to the Board of Certified
Direct-Entry Midwives, answered Chair Dyson's questions, saying
she wants to serve because she is a certified nurse midwife and
has worked closely with certified direct-entry midwives for
eight or nine years in the community.
CHAIR DYSON called an at-ease at 1:42:24 PM. He handed the
gavel to Senator Green.
SENATOR GREEN called the meeting back to order at 1:43:01 PM.
She invited Ms. Norton to continue.
MS. NORTON concluded by saying she believes she understands the
issues faced by certified direct-entry midwives and is
supportive of their practice.
1:43:41 PM
NANCY PUCKETT, Anchorage, appointee to the State Medical Board,
responded to Senator Green's questions, noting that she began
serving in July as the public member. Ms. Puckett said she has
always worked in business and currently is a contractor with a
nonprofit organization. The main reason she wants to serve is a
desire for public service. She likes Alaska, and it has been
good to her, she noted, saying she'd like to make a
contribution. She highlighted the importance of having public
members on this board, since they see issues from the
perspective of the public and hopefully help to protect them.
1:45:06 PM
KEVIN L. GOTTLIEB, DDS, Anchorage, appointee to the Board of
Dental Examiners, responded to Senator Green's questions, noting
that he's been serving for the last three years and was asked to
continue. He said this is worthwhile from his perspective.
1:45:51 PM
LINDA L. GILLAM BLACK, Anchorage, appointee to the Professional
Teaching Practices Commission, answered Senator Green's
questions, saying she is a new appointee and will be the
university-level representative. She said she is looking
forward to it, has been in education for 30 years, is a lifelong
Alaskan, and feels very passionate about this.
1:46:47 PM
PATRICIA A. WHITE, Juneau, appointee to the Board of Marital and
Family Therapy, came forward. Responding to Senator Green's
questions, she noted that she is a new appointee, has lived in
Juneau since 1982, has been in private practice since 1989 and
has been licensed since 1992. She expressed interest in serving
to repay the state, where she has had a wonderful career, since
she now has time to serve.
1:48:03 PM
LARAINE L. DERR, Juneau, appointee to the Alaska Mental Health
Trust Authority Board of Trustees, came forward and responded to
Senator Green's questions. Acknowledging this as a new
adventure, she said this particular board will be a real
challenge. There are only seven members, and a tremendous
number of challenges come before that board. She said she is
looking forward to it.
SENATOR GREEN remarked that she believes Ms. Derr is aptly
suited for it and will do a great job.
1:49:35 PM
SENATOR GREEN asked whether anyone else on teleconference wished
to testify. She called the names of the remaining appointees.
[There was no response.] She pointed out that resumes and
information on all appointees were included in committee
packets. She suggested that members review the materials and
determine whether they wanted to hear from anyone.
1:51:06 PM
SENATOR WILKEN moved to advance the names of the appointees to
the aforementioned boards and commissions for full consideration
of the legislature. The appointees were: Vivian C. Finlay,
Curtis C. Schlosser, Dorothy Vanmeter Stanton, Patricia A.
White, Edward A. Hall, Nancy Puckett, Kevin M. Tomera, Laraine
L. Derr, Barbara Norton, Holly M. Steiner, Mila A. Cosgrove,
JoAnne Bell-Graves, Catherine A. Giessel, Dennis A. Swarner,
Julius S. Brecht, Timothy O. Sharp, Thomas A. Trosvig, Craig
Baker, Bonnie C. Gaborik, Linda L. Gillam Black, Kevin L.
Gottlieb, Lorin L. Bradbury, and Gail La Rose-Henderson.
SENATOR GREEN reminded members that agreeing to advance the
confirmations did not indicate an intention to vote either for
or against the appointees. No objection was stated, and the
confirmations were advanced from the Senate Health, Education
and Social Services Standing Committee.
1:51:48 PM
SENATOR GREEN announced there would be no meeting this coming
Friday, March 24.
There being no further business to come before the committee,
Senator Green adjourned the Senate Health, Education and Social
Services Standing Committee meeting at 1:52:13 PM.
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