HB 282-MILITARY TRAINING CREDIT/TEMP. LICENSE  9:35:30 AM CHAIR DICK announced that the final order of business would be HOUSE BILL NO. 282, "An Act relating to applying military education, training, and service credit to occupational licensing and certain postsecondary education and employment training requirements; and providing for a temporary occupational license for qualified military service members." 9:35:47 AM REPRESENTATIVE PRUITT moved the proposed CS for HB 282, Version 27-LS1116\E, Mischel, 1/25/12. REPRESENTATIVE KAWASAKI objected. 9:36:18 AM AARON SCHROEDER, Staff, Representative Bill Thomas, Jr., Alaska State Legislature, reviewed the changes represented in the proposed CS for HB 282 paraphrasing from a prepared statement, which read as follows [original punctuation provided]: Page 1, Line 9 DELETE: Relevant Page 1, Paragraph (a) SECTION REORGANIZED ADDS SUBSECTION 1: "the department or applicable board determines that education, training, and service is equivalent to some or all of the qualifications otherwise required of an applicant for a license or certificate issued under this chapter:" -stronger/clearer language ADDS SECTION 2: "The applicant provides satisfactory evidence of successful completion of the education, training, or service as a member of the armed forces of the United States, the United States Reserves, the National Guard of any state, the Military Reserves of any state, or the Naval Militia of any state." -restates language from Section 1 of version B which deals w/ occupations who issue temporary licenses. Page 2, Paragraph (b)- ADDS: citation AS 08.01.050(a)(9) Page 2, Line 11 ADDS: citation for subparagraphs 2-5 -Language refers licensing practices already in statute Page 2, Subparagraph (A) ADDS: maintained the license or certification in active status before and at the time of application -Makes clear that the license needs to be current when they apply for a temporary license. Page 2, Subparagraph (B) REWORDED TO: "was awarded a diploma or certificate by a branch of the armed forces of the United States or any state, as described in (a) of this section, that met standards of an equivalent license or a certificate of technical training." -Recognizes military certificates of technical training Page 2, Paragraph (c) ADDS: for an applicant who is on active duty -Expedited licenses only apply to individuals who already hold a license and are on active duty. Page 3, Line 12 DELETES: paragraph (d) -Was not appropriate guidance for the Postsecondary Education Commission. Page 4, Paragraph (b) ADDS: Institution accepts military education if the institution already accepts transfer credits and is approved by their accrediting body. -Language suggested by the Postsecondary Education Commission. -Protects the institution from jeopardizing their accreditation. Page 5, Section 5- ADDS- Guidance for DCCED and applicable boards to immediately promulgate necessary regulations. Page 5, Section 6- ADDS: Effective date of December 31, 2013 for section 1-4. -Gives department time to research military training and promulgate regulations. Page 6, Section 7- ADDS: Immediately effective for Sec 5 9:40:01 AM MR. SCHROEDER said the intent of the bill is to assist previously active military personnel to transition into the private sector work force. Currently, the national unemployment rate is high among this demographic, about 13 percent. Although Alaska's veteran unemployment rate is typically better than average, recent concern has risen for a means to better support the ex-service men and women in our state. In 2010, 1,200 former military personnel separated from service and maintained an Alaskan address. The scope of the bill seeks to directly solicit the Division of Corporations, Business, and Professional Licensing, Department of Commerce, Community & Economic Development (DCCED), the University of Alaska Vocational Education, and the Alaska Work Force and Investment Board, to assess military equivalencies to the programs offered. Additionally, HB 282 seeks to expedite professional licensing, or relicensing, of a veteran who is credentialed in another state. 9:42:26 AM REPRESENTATIVE SEATON asked whether licensing boards have provided comment on HB 282. MR. SCHROEDER responded that representatives are available to answer committee questions. CHAIR DICK interjected that written comment has not been received from the boards. 9:43:18 AM REPRESENTATIVE CISSNA drew a similarity between service members and those who volunteer in a specialized field and then receive credit for the gratis work, when being considered for hire into a profession. She stressed the positive implications to the state in encouraging this type of action. 9:44:48 AM REPRESENTATIVE P. WILSON pointed out that the fiscal note has been increased due to the boards and commissions need to fulfill the work; these increases may be reflected in the license fees. She said that the sooner the military personnel are able to find work, the more helpful it will be for them socially and emotionally. This is a great bill, she said. 9:46:20 AM MARK SAN SOUCI, Liaison, Military Families for the Northwest, Department of Defense, Regional Deputy Assistant, Secretary of Defense for Military Family & Community Policy, testified in support of HB 282, paraphrasing from a prepared statement, which read as follows [original punctuation provided]: Last year, with one million veterans unemployed; with a post 9/11 unemployment rate of 13.3 percent; and an unemployment rate for 18-24 year old veterans at 21.9 percent, the Department of Defense [DOD] began supporting efforts in the states to ask states to give separating Service members credit, so that they may not be held back from finding employment or finishing a degree. We are asking legislative leaders like you to establish policies that ensure separating Service members do not have to repeat requirements completed during their military career to obtain academic credit or an occupational license. MR. SAN SOUCI said: So far, in the 2012 session and this is as of this morning, we have 27 bills in 15 more states resembling the one before you today that we are asking you to support. MR. SAN SOUCI continued paraphrasing from a prepared statement, which read [original punctuation provided]: It is important to us that you know we are not asking for direct licensure if it is not equivalent. In cases where the regulatory agency or board determines partial credit but it saves time and expense and helps get them there, even if not completely, that is what we seek. We only seek credit where credit is due. A couple of other points to consider: You and I have already paid for this veteran's training within the DOD schools and with years of experience while serving our Nation with our federal tax dollars. Also, the more credit given to a veteran towards licensing or a degree or certification, the more school slots can be made available to civilians, especially in programs where [there] may be waiting lists to get in. This issue is now the top of the Top Ten Key Issues of the Defense State Liaison Office. The Department of Defense has many highly qualified schools which train service members in a wide variety of skills and occupations. The Department of Defense is also, right now, working feverishly with the US Department of Labor to link military occupations with training/experience programs that most closely align to private sector licensure requirements, while also asking some state regulatory authorities in pilot states like Washington, to review select military occupations to determine whether the training and experience are sufficient to render licensing in that occupation. As you very well know, Alaska is home to thousands of veterans, and is a desired location for separating and retiring military members when choosing where to live after leaving the military. A 2010 Defense Manpower Data Center Study reported that Alaska had 1,286 military separate or retire back to Alaska in Fiscal Year 2010. At roughly 1,286 annually, and more to come with draw- downs, we can expect that highly qualified ex-military people will continue to enjoy Alaska's quality of life, and many will continue to choose Alaska when transitioning into civilian careers. Finally, I'm frequently asked what other states are doing in this area. In 2011, Washington state passed two bills - one for medical occupations and one for non-medical occupations, into law as of July 22nd. Washington modified the statutory chapters of 21 commercial occupations and 14 healthcare related occupations. It is considered by us as Best Practice (BP) legislation. Your bill is modeled after Washington State and also would be a BP. Washington State's Department of Health and Department of Licensing accepted this challenge in legislation last year with 'zero' as fiscal notes, and they have the demands of a big military state with over 6,000 veterans annually choosing to separate or retire from the military and live there. We ask this committee and this legislature in Alaska to join the other [15] states and rising now in session and considering this help for our veterans, along with the four (WA [Washington], UT [Utah], CO [Colorado], WV [West Virginia]) that did it last year. 9:50:58 AM CHRIS CHRISTENSEN, Associate Vice President, State Relations, University of Alaska Southeast (UAS), addressed the committee, paraphrasing from a prepared statement, which read as follows [original punctuation provided]: I'm here today to talk about section 2 of this bill, which directs the university's president to adopt policies and procedures to award credit for military training, education, and service. I'd like to begin by noting that the university is committed to offering quality educational experiences to active military, veterans, and their dependents. GI Jobs, which is a magazine and web portal that exists specifically to serve people who are transitioning from the military back to civilian life, has designated both UAA [University of Alaska Anchorage] and UAF [University of Alaska Fairbanks] as "GI jobs military friendly schools". Only 15 [percent] of all the colleges, universities, and vocational schools in the country have earned this distinction, which is based on an institution's financial and non-financial commitment to recruit and retain military and veteran students. It is a pretty sad commentary on the lower 48 that only 15 [percent] of schools are rated "military friendly." That's probably why the department of defense is promoting this legislation around the country. The web portal "guide to online schools.com," which bills itself as the most comprehensive authority on distance education and online learning, just released its 2012 rankings of the most military-friendly online colleges in the country, and out of the multitude of schools that offer online education, UAA was rated [number] 5. We're proud of that, and as the entity that made that rating possible by your funding decisions and other support, you have every right to be proud, too. While trying to learn the university over the last few months, the single issue I have heard about the most is transfer of credit. Everybody's got a story. It is a subject that arouses great passion, and military transfer credit is a piece of this bigger issue. The board of regents has adopted a written policy that the campuses must accept in transfer as much credit as is appropriate to a student's new degree and graduation requirements. All three campuses have established transfer credit policies designed to give maximum credit for courses and training taken elsewhere, including in the military. Keep in mind that a degree from an institution is a representation to potential employers and to others that the holder has actually learned what the degree indicates they have learned and that they can do everything the degree indicates they can do. The credit transfer policies have evolved over time to make the process as streamlined as possible while still protecting the integrity of the degrees that are awarded. We believe that awarding appropriate credit for military training is one of the university's responsibilities, and another way we can show our commitment to recruit and retain military and veteran students. There are apparently a lot of misconceptions about what we do for military students, so I would like to give the committee a brief recap. Transfer credit processes at the university are managed at the campus level, although there is intentionally a great deal of uniformity in the system. With respect to credit for military training, all three campuses transfer credit based on recommendations made by "ACE," which is the acronym for the American Council of Education. For over 65 years, ACE has had an agreement with the defense department to review military training and experience for the award of equivalent college credits. Its recommendations on equivalent college credits are utilized by thousands of colleges and universities across the country. Our three campuses have written agreements with the defense department to use the ACE recommendations. Our three campuses are also members of the SOC consortium. "SOC" stands for the Service-members Opportunity Colleges. This is a consortium of over 1,000 colleges and universities that enroll military, veterans, and dependents in special degree programs, both on-campus and through distance learning. Its purpose is to let the military get degrees, rather than just accumulate credits as they move from base to base. To be part of SOC, our campuses signed written agreements to, among other things, follow specific guidelines to ease transferability of credit between the member institutions and to limit the number of credits military students have to earn at UA, in order to get a UA degree. For example, military students working on an Associate's degree at UAA only need 3 UAA credits to earn the degree; UAA will take all the rest of the credits from other schools in the SOC consortium. UAA is currently accepting approximately 51 credits per student from those military students who attended the community college of the air force, the service academies, and other regionally accredited military institutions. At UAF, a military student can use approximately 30 credits of typical training for the Bachelor of Emergency Management degree, or 90 credits for a general studies BA that doesn't require satisfying particular major requirements. Neither UAA nor UAF have any limitation on the number of military transfer credits they will award. They used to; they've done away with it, UAA as recently as last year, as part of our continual process to review the system and make it more student-friendly. Right now, for example, UAF is in the process of developing a minor based on typical military credits, which will satisfy 18 credits towards any BA degree. I could go on, but what is the bottom line? I don't have figures for the entire system, but last year, UAA alone awarded over 15,000 hours of military transfer credit for training, for education, and even for time spent in the service. Approximately 99.5 [percent] of the students who requested military transfer credits received those credits. Alaska is widely known to service-members as a state that welcomes and appreciates the military. I think that Alaska's university, as demonstrated by our existing credit transfer policies, reflects those prevailing social values pretty darn accurately. 9:57:42 AM DON HABEGER, Director, Division of Corporations, Business, and Professional Licensing, Department of Commerce, Community & Economic Development, came forward to answer questions, at the request of the committee. 9:58:06 AM REPRESENTATIVE SEATON expressed support for the bill, and asked whether the department has any concerns for the proposed statute. MR. HABEGER responded that the original version imposed time constraints that would have been difficult to meet; however, the sponsor has been responsive to the administrations concerns and Version E provides a workable timeframe for the department to implement the bill utilizing existing resources. As such, a revised fiscal note will be rendered, he said. 9:59:12 AM REPRESENTATIVE FEIGE stated support for HB 282, and said anything that can be done to capture the talent of veterans is beneficial for the state. 10:00:26 AM REPRESENTATIVE KAWASAKI removed his objection. With no further objection Version E was before the committee. 10:01:17 AM REPRESENTATIVE PRUITT moved to report CSHB 282, Version 27- LS1116\E, Mischel, 1/25/12, out of committee. 10:01:35 AM REPRESENTATIVE SEATON objected and pointed out that a fiscal note from DCCED is attached, but is undergoing revision. He then removed his objection. With no further objection, CSHB 282 (EDC) was moved from the House Education Standing Committee, with individual recommendations and the accompanying fiscal notes. 10:02:12 AM REPRESENTATIVE CISSNA commented that similar legislation in Washington State has passed with a zero fiscal note.