SB 211-EXTEND OCCUPATIONAL LICENSING BOARDS  1:33:31 PM CHAIR BJORKMAN announced the consideration of SENATE BILL NO. 211 "An Act extending the termination date of the Board of Professional Counselors; extending the termination date of the Board of Marital and Family Therapy; extending the termination date of the Board of Psychologist and Psychological Associate Examiners; extending the termination date of the Real Estate Commission; extending the termination date of the Board of Social Work Examiners; and providing for an effective date." [The committee adopted a committee substitute on February 2,2026, and is before the committee.] 1:34:21 PM MATT CHURCHILL, Staff, Senator Jesse Bjorkman, Alaska State Legislature, Juneau, Alaska, provided a summary of SB 211 and stated that the bill extends the sunset dates of six professional boards scheduled to expire on June 30, in line with the state's 2025 audit recommendations. 1:35:24 PM CHAIR BJORKMAN announced invited testimony on SB 211. 1:35:43 PM CRYSTAL HERRING, Chair, Board of Professional Counselors, Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development (DCCED), Juneau, Alaska, testified by invitation on SB 211 and read the following: [Original punctuation provided.] The Board of Professional Counselors exists to protect the health, safety, and welfare of Alaskans by ensuring that individuals providing professional counseling services are qualified, competent, and held to consistent ethical standards. Professional counselors provide critical mental health services across Alaska, including in rural and underserved communities. These services support individuals, families, veterans, first responders, and youth, and are often a frontline response to trauma, substance use disorders, and behavioral health crises. The board's statutory responsibilities include licensing professional counselors, establishing education and supervision requirements, adopting and enforcing a professional code of ethics, and ensuring ongoing competency through continuing education. These functions are essential to public protection. They ensure that counseling services in Alaska are delivered by trained, ethical, and accountable professionals, including in complex or high-risk situations. The board also adopts and updates regulations to reflect statutory changes, best practices, and evolving service delivery models such as telehealth, which has expanded access to care across the state. Without a dedicated regulatory board, specialized oversight of professional counseling would be diminished, reducing accountability and public protection at a time when demand for mental health services continues to grow. While you may have noted that the audit recommends a six-year extension rather than the full eight years due to administrative factors outside the boards control, we respectfully request your support of SB 211 to include a full extension of the Board of Professional Counselors so that we may continue providing stable and effective oversight in the public interest. 1:38:23 PM NOAH SHIELDS, Chair, Board of Marital and Family Therapy, Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development (DCCED), Juneau, Alaska, testified by invitation on SB 211 and read the following: [Original punctuation provided.] The Board of Marital and Family Therapy exists to protect the public by ensuring that individuals providing marital and family therapy services in Alaska meet consistent, rigorous standards for education, training, ethical practice, and professional accountability. Our work supports both public safety and access to quality mental health care through consistent licensure standards, clear expectations for practice, and accountability for licensees. Marital and family therapists often work with children, families in crisis, individuals experiencing trauma, and couples navigating significant life challenges. Because of this, the board's role in oversight, licensure, and enforcement has a direct impact on the safety and wellbeing of Alaskans. 1:39:29 PM MR. SHIELDS continued with his testimony on SB 211: [Original punctuation provided.] In recent years, the board has engaged in ongoing regulation projects within its authority to ensure that Alaska's requirements for licensure, supervision, professional conduct, and continuing education remain current with national professional standards and the evolving needs of the public. This includes regularly reviewing and updating regulations to clarify expectations for licensees, support safe clinical practice, modernize language that was outdated, and ensure that new professionals entering the field are prepared to provide competent care. The board also plays a key role in reviewing applications, monitoring compliance with licensing requirements, and addressing complaints. Through timely case review and appropriate disciplinary action when necessary, the board helps maintain public trust and ensures that standards for safe and ethical practice are upheld. Through this consistent regulatory work and oversight, the board helps ensure that Alaskans receive care from qualified, well-trained, and accountable professionals. For these reasons, we respectfully urge your support for SB 211 to extend the Board of Marital and Family Therapy. Continuation of the board ensures that this essential work in public protection, professional accountability, and maintaining up-to-date professional standards can continue without interruption. 1:41:12 PM CHERYL MARKWOOD, Chair, Real Estate Commission, Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development (DCCED), Anchorage, Alaska, testified by invitation on SB 211 and read the following: [Original punctuation provided.] The Alaska Real Estate Commission plays a critical role in protecting the public, maintaining professional standards, and ensuring confidence in one of the largest financial transactions most Alaskans will ever makethe purchase or sale of real property. Real estate impacts housing availability, economic stability, lending, development, property management, and private property rights. Effective oversight matters. The Commission's responsibilities are clear and longstanding: -Licensing qualified professionals -Enforcing statutes and regulations -Investigating complaints and taking disciplinary action when warranted -Providing guidance and education to promote compliance These duties cannot be effectively absorbed elsewhere without loss of expertise or increased cost, and they are best carried out by a board dedicated solely to this industry. Regarding the Commission's most recent sunset audit, we take those findings seriously. The audit process is an important accountability tool, and the Commission has worked collaboratively with staff and the Division to address recommendations, strengthen internal processes, and improve consistencyparticularly in documentation and procedural clarity. Importantly, the audit did not identify systemic failures or public risk that would justify discontinuing the Commission. Instead, it confirmed that the Commission is functioning as intended and fulfilling its statutory role. Alaska's real estate market also presents unique challengesincluding remote transactions, rural land issues, seasonal market pressures, and housing supply constraints. The Commission provides Alaska-specific oversight informed by local knowledge and experience. Extending the Alaska Real Estate Commission under SB 211 ensures continued consumer protection, regulatory stability, and institutional knowledgewhile preserving legislative oversight through the sunset process. 1:44:12 PM CHAIR BJORKMAN concluded invited testimony on SB 211. 1:44:19 PM CHAIR BJORKMAN opened public testimony on SB 211; finding none, he closed public testimony. 1:44:52 PM SENATOR DUNBAR moved to adopt Amendment 1, work order 34- LS1252\N.2. 34-LS1252\N.2 Gunther 2/6/26 A M E N D M E N T 1 OFFERED IN THE SENATE BY SENATOR DUNBAR TO: CSSB 211(L&C), Draft Version "N" Page 1, line 6, following "Examiners;": Insert "relating to reports on the Board of  Psychologist and Psychological Associate Examiners and  the Board of Certified Real Estate Appraisers;" Page 2, following line 12: Insert a new bill section to read:  "* Sec. 7. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to read: LEGISLATIVE AUDIT: REPORTS. By the first day of the First Regular Session of the Thirty-Sixth Alaska State Legislature, the legislative audit division established under AS 24.20.241 shall submit reports to the legislative budget and audit committee established under AS 24.20.151 concerning compliance by the Board of Psychologist and Psychological Associate Examiners and the Board of Certified Real Estate Appraisers with the recommendations of the June 5, 2025, audits of the boards conducted under AS 44.66." Renumber the following bill sections accordingly. 1:44:57 PM CHAIR BJORKMAN objected for purposes of discussion. 1:45:00 PM SENATOR DUNBAR stated that two boards were identified with deficits and recommended fee increases, but those increases were denied by the Governor's office, which the speaker views as poor practice. He said instead of shortening the extension period, the proposal was revised to include a midterm reporting requirement, recognizing that the boards should not be penalized for decisions outside their control. 1:46:31 PM KRIS CURTIS, Legislative Auditor, Alaska State Legislature, Juneau, Alaska, provided comments to the proposed amendment for SB 211. She said the amendment establishes a mid-cycle review to ensure legislative oversight of corrective actions from sunset audit recommendations. She said in 2028, auditors will conduct a focused, limited review, rather than a full audit and report to the Legislative Budget and Audit Committee on the status of those recommendations. 1:48:37 PM CHAIR BJORKMAN asked Ms. Curtis if she is comfortable with the amendment. 1:48:39 PM MS. CURTIS answered yes and said it is the most cost-effective way to ensure corrective action. 1:48:49 PM CHAIR BJORKMAN removed his objection. 1:49:17 PM CHAIR BJORKMAN found no further objection and Amendment 1 was adopted. 1:49:21 PM SENATOR DUNBAR moved Conceptual Amendment 1 to Amendment 1. CONCEPTUAL AMENDMENT 1  BY SENATOR DUNBAR Page 1, line 14 following "the" Insert "April 17 and" 1:49:41 PM CHAIR BJORKMAN objected for purposes of discussion. 1:49:51 PM MS. CURTIS clarified that the inserted language [April 17 and] goes right in front of June 5. 1:49:58 PM CHAIR BJORKMAN removed his objection. 1:50:05 PM CHAIR BJORKMAN found no further objection and Conceptual Amendment 1 to Amendment 1 was adopted. Amendment 1, as amended, was before the committee. [Amendment 1, as amended, was adopted by the committee per tacitly approved.] 1:50:15 PM CHAIR BJORKMAN solicited the will of the committee. 1:50:17 PM SENATOR MERRICK moved to report CSSB 211, work order 34- LS1252\N, as amended, from committee with individual recommendations and attached fiscal note(s) and authorize Legislative Legal Services to make technical and conforming changes. 1:50:40 PM CHAIR BJORKMAN found no objection and CSSB 211(L&C) was reported from the Senate Labor and Commerce Standing Committee.