Legislature(2003 - 2004)
03/04/2003 01:35 PM Senate L&C
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ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
SENATE LABOR AND COMMERCE STANDING COMMITTEE
March 4, 2003
1:35 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Senator Con Bunde, Chair
Senator Gary Stevens
Senator Bettye Davis
Senator Hollis French
MEMBERS ABSENT
Senator Ralph Seekins, Vice Chair
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 7
Expressing support for Vancouver, British Columbia's, bid for
the 2010 Olympic Winter Games and the Paralympic Winter Games.
MOVED SJR 7 OUT OF COMMITTEE
Confirmation Hearings:
Board of Public Accountancy - Dan Kennedy, Laura Welles
Alcohol Beverage Control Board - Michael Gordon
Board of Registration for Architects, Engineers and Land
Surveyors - Kimberly Mills and Robert Gilfilian
Board of Barbers and Hairdressers - Diana L. Straub
Board of Chiropractic Examiners - Sean C. Siegel
Board of Marine Pilots - Captain David A. Anderson, Les Cronk
and Robert Arts
Personnel Board - Paulette M. Simpson
Board of Certified Real Estate Appraisers - Steve McSwain
Board of Veterinary Examiners - Dr. Timothy L. Bowser and Dr.
James Morrison
Workers Compensation Board - Sally Ann Carey, Dale R. Walaszek,
Curtis Hall and Royce Rock
CONFIRMATIONS ADVANCED
PREVIOUS ACTION
SJR 7 - No previous action to consider.
WITNESS REGISTER
Mr. Richard Schmitz
Aide to Senator Cowdery
Alaska State Capitol
Juneau, AK 99801-1182
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported SJR 7.
ACTION NARRATIVE
TAPE 03-8, SIDE A
SJR 7-VANCOUVER'S BID FOR 2010 WINTER GAMES
CHAIR CON BUNDE called the Senate Labor and Commerce Standing
Committee meeting to order at 1:35 p.m. and announced SJR 7 to
be up for consideration.
MR. RICHARD SCHMITZ, staff to Senator Cowdery, said the purpose
of SJR 7 is to express Alaska's support of the Canadian bid for
the 2010 Winter Olympic and Winter Paralympic Games in
Vancouver, British Columbia, and the resort community of
Whistler, which is nearby. SJR 7 was introduced because it's a
neighborly thing to do. In terms of a practical application,
winter Olympic games are a tremendous economic engine for
surrounding areas.
CHAIR BUNDE said Alaska would be happy to receive the economic
fallout that would come our way.
SENATOR DAVIS moved SJR 7 from committee with individual
recommendations and the attached zero fiscal note. There were no
objections and it was so ordered.
CONFIRMATION HEARINGS
CHAIR BUNDE called an at-ease from 1:40 to 1:42 p.m. Upon
reconvening, he said the committee would next hold confirmation
hearings.
MS. SALLY ANN CAREY, nominee for the Workers Compensation Board,
said that she would like to serve because it gives her a chance
to give back some time and effort to Alaska. She has been
involved with workers' compensation from an industry standpoint
since 1968. She briefly reviewed her resume' for the committee.
MS. PAULETTE SIMPSON, nominee for the Personnel Board, said she
was pleased to be able to offer her time to serve on the board.
SENATOR FRENCH asked her to explain what the Personnel Board
does.
MS. SIMPSON explained that it approves and disapproves
amendments to personnel rules; it considers extensions of the
partially exempt and classified service; and it hears appeals
and complaints under the Alaska Executive Branch Ethics Act.
SENATOR FRENCH asked her to explain how ethics issues come to
the Personnel Board.
MS. SIMPSON replied that they percolate up through the system
from what she can tell.
SENATOR FRENCH asked her for an example of the type of dispute
the Personnel Board would hear.
MS. SIMPSON replied that her actual knowledge of how things work
is pretty limited, but she has reviewed board minutes. She said
basically, someone from the Division of General Services might
represent the state and explain why it wants to change a
classification. The board hears and determines appeals by
employees in the classified service. She didn't know if those
issues come up very often.
CHAIR BUNDE asked if the board position pays anything.
MS. SIMPSON replied standard per diem.
SENATOR FRENCH said her name came up in another hearing when
Randy Ruedrich was talking about giving her the responsibilities
for the day-to-day operation of the Republican Party. He asked
if she knew he would be doing that and whether she thought that
was right.
MS. SIMPSON said the Republican Party of Alaska State Central
Committee installed her as vice chair at its February 8 meeting.
She explained:
The duties that previously were the responsibility of
Chairman Ruedrich, because of the bi-partisan campaign
finance reform law - as of November 6, he could not
perform those any more. So, those were transferred to
the vice chair. So, that's correct. For the next 15
months I will be handling those.
SENATOR FRENCH asked if an appeal came to her and there were
some questions about whether she should be running the state
party on one hand and hearing an appeal on the other, how she
would decide which hat to wear.
MS. SIMPSON replied that she would never consider applying for
any board if she didn't think she could be utterly objective in
her decision-making.
SENATOR DAVIS asked how could she be objective if she was
sitting in both capacities.
MS. SIMPSON said she didn't see any conflict knowing the kinds
of responsibilities she has taken on in the Republican Party.
Those responsibilities have to do with state grass roots
organization training of volunteers and fund raising at the
local level.
1:52 p.m.
CAPTAIN DAVID ANDERSON, nominee for the Board of Marine Pilots,
said he is licensed in Alaska and would consider the matters
that come before the board in a clear and objective manner.
SENATOR GARY STEVENS asked where Region 1 is located.
CAPTAIN ANDERSON replied Yakutat to South of Ketchikan.
MR. STEVE McSWAIN, nominee for the Board of Real Estate
Appraisers, said he is honored and pleased to serve.
MR. MICHAEL GORDON, nominee for the Alcohol Beverage Control
Board, said he originally came to Alaska in 1953 and has been in
the industry for over 35 years. He has never had a single ABC
violation or DWI and has already served on the board for about
five years.
MS. LAURA WELLS, nominee for the Board of Public Accountancy,
said she is pleased to be considered to serve on this board and
would keep the public's interest at heart.
MR. DALE WALASZEK, nominee for the Workers Compensation Board,
said he is honored to receive the appointment and is looking
forward to serving. In response to a question from Senator
Bunde, he said he is currently a licensed physician assistant,
specializing in occupational medicine and health. He has been a
provider within the system since 1999 and currently works for
Agrium.
DR. TIMOTHY BOWSER, nominee for the Board of Veterinary
Examiners, said he is honored to serve in this capacity. He has
worked in private practice for the last 23 years and has been an
owner manager for 20 years in Florida and for the past five
years in Soldotna.
CHAIR BUNDE asked if he has a specialty.
DR. BOWSER replied small animal medicine and general practice,
including sled dog medicine. Dermatology and internal medicine
are his personal favorites.
CHAIR BUNDE said that good veterinarians are always of great
value.
SENATOR FRENCH asked him if the board is responsible for
licensing veterinarians.
DR. BOWSER replied yes and other duties include discipline and
oversight.
SENATOR GARY STEVENS asked if a complaint was filed, the board
would hear the complaint and make a ruling.
DR. BOWSER replied he hasn't sat in any meetings yet, but staff
members usually do the research and the board would review the
information, give guidance and make decisions.
MS. KIMBERLY MILLS, nominee for the Board of Registration for
Architects, Engineers and Land Surveyors, said she is honored to
have the opportunity to serve the citizens of the great state of
Alaska.
MR. DAN KENNEDY, nominee for the Board of Public Accountancy,
said he would do his very best to uphold the high standards of a
CPA.
SENATOR FRENCH asked him what the board does.
MR. KENNEDY replied that its mission is, "To protect the
public's interest by insuring that only qualified persons are
licensed and the appropriate standards of competency and
practice are established and enforced."
SENATOR FRENCH asked if he was a member of Big Brothers in 1984.
MR. KENNEDY replied that he was for two years and was selected
as Big Brother of the Year in 1985.
SENATOR FRENCH saluted his community involvement.
MS. DIANA STRAUB, nominee for the Board of Barbers and
Hairdressers, thanked members for the opportunity to serve on
the board. She said she has experience in each of the different
areas that this board represents.
CHAIR BUNDE asked her to explain her restorative tattooing
practice.
MS. STRAUB explained that if someone comes to her with a burn
scar, she would work over that scar or if someone had
chemotherapy and needed eyebrows, she would do that. Currently,
she is not practicing that in Alaska due to a retroactive date
in legislation. She hoped that could be changed.
MR. SEAN SIEGEL, nominee for the Board of Chiropractic
Examiners, said it is an honored distinction to be appointed to
the board and that this would be his second term.
SENATOR FRENCH asked him what he is doing for a living now.
MR. SIEGEL replied that he works for a small ship cruise
company, Cruise West.
SENATOR FRENCH asked what his connection is with the
chiropractic business.
MR. SIEGEL replied that he is the public member.
CHAIR BUNDE said there were other folks who for one reason or
another had been unable to attend the meeting. He read their
names: Robert Arts and Les Cronk, nominees for the Board of
Marine Pilots; Robert Gilfilian, nominee for the Board of
Registered Architects and Engineers, and Land Surveyors; Dr.
James Morrison, nominee for the Board of Veterinarians; Curtis
Hall and Royce Rock, nominees for the Workers Compensation
Board.
Hearing no further comments, CHAIR BUNDE announced the committee
would forward the names of the nominees to a joint session for a
confirmation vote. He adjourned the meeting at 2:10 p.m.
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