HB 302-EXTEND: BOARD OF PROFESSIONAL COUNSELORS                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
1:17:37 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR KITO  announced that  the next order  of business  would be                                                               
HOUSE BILL  NO. 302,  "An Act extending  the termination  date of                                                               
the  Board  of  Professional  Counselors; and  providing  for  an                                                               
effective date."                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
1:17:46 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
ASHLEY  STRAUCH, Staff,  REPRESENTATIVE ADAM  WOOL, Alaska  State                                                               
Legislature,  reintroduced HB  302  on  behalf of  Representative                                                               
Wool,  prime sponsor.    She gave  a brief  overview  of HB  302,                                                               
explaining that  the proposed bill  would extend  the termination                                                               
date  of the  Board  of  Professional Counselors  to  2026.   She                                                               
highlighted there  had been  a 46  percent increase  in licensees                                                               
since the previous sunset audit.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
1:18:45 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
DEBBIE  HAMILTON, Professional  Counselors Board,  testified that                                                               
the board welcomed the extension.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
1:19:14 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR KITO said  public testimony was still open  from a previous                                                               
hearing.    Upon  ascertaining  that  no  one  was  available  to                                                               
testify, he closed public testimony on HB 302.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
1:19:29 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SPEAKER EDGMON asked for clarification on the board extension.                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
1:19:32 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MS. STRAUCH clarified the extension was for eight years to 2026.                                                                
                                                                                                                                
1:20:10 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE BIRCH  asked about  the advancement  of telehealth                                                               
regulations  and  the  delivery  of services  for  mental  health                                                               
occupations.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
1:20:44 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MS. HAMILTON answered the board  had recently drafted regulations                                                               
to  help  telehealth  mental health  service  providers  and  was                                                               
currently awaiting completion of those regulations.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE BIRCH  surmised it was about  administering mental                                                               
health services via telehealth.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
MS. HAMILTON answered the  regulation will increase accessibility                                                               
to mental health services.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
1:22:00 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE JOSEPHSON moved to report  HB 302 out of committee                                                               
with  individual  recommendations  and  the  accompanying  fiscal                                                               
notes.  There being no objection, it was so ordered.