SB 225-OCCUPATIONAL LICENSING FEES                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
1:34:58 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR  BJORKMAN announced  the consideration  of SENATE  BILL NO.                                                               
225  "An  Act  relating  to   occupational  licensing  fees;  and                                                               
providing for an effective date."                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
1:35:28 PM                                                                                                                    
SYLVAN  ROBB, Director,  Division of  Corporations, Business  and                                                               
Professional  Licensing, Department  of  Commerce, Community  and                                                               
Economic Development  (DCCED), Juneau, Alaska, explained  that SB                                                               
225  proposed  a  shift in  funding  for  professional  licensing                                                               
investigations  from licensee  fees  to  fees from  corporations.                                                               
This  change would  stabilize licensing  fees,  which have  shown                                                               
significant  volatility,  such  as midwives'  fee  increase  from                                                               
$1,800 to $3,800. She said SB  255 is expected to reduce fees for                                                               
many programs, particularly those  with high investigation needs.                                                               
It would also ensure that compliant licensees are not cross-                                                                    
subsidizing  investigations  into  unlicensed  practitioners  and                                                               
would address a potential  disincentive for reporting misconduct.                                                               
She  said SB  255 had  the  support of  14 out  of 21  regulatory                                                               
boards and the Alaska Hospital and Healthcare Association.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
1:38:01 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR BJORKMAN opened  public testimony on SB  225; finding none,                                                               
he closed public testimony.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
1:38:16 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR BJORKMAN solicited the will of the committee.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
1:38:24 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  GRAY-JACKSON moved  to  report SB  225,  work order  33-                                                               
GS2366\A,  from  committee  with individual  recommendations  and                                                               
attached fiscal note(s).                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
1:38:40 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR BJORKMAN  found no objection  and SB 225 was  reported from                                                               
the Senate Labor and Commerce Standing Committee.