HB 168 - PERMITS FOR NONRESIDENT OPTOMETRISTS                               
                                                                               
 Number 024                                                                    
                                                                               
 REPRESENTATIVE CYNTHIA TOOHEY, PRIME SPONSOR OF HB 168, noted that            
 HB 168 had made it to Senate Rules in the Eighteenth Legislative              
 Session; however, like a lot of good legislation, it didn't get a             
 chance to be heard.                                                           
                                                                               
 REPRESENTATIVE TOOHEY gave the following sponsor statement:                   
                                                                               
 "The Alaska Optometric Association (APA) requested the proposal of            
 this bill.  With the passage of this bill, a locum tenens permit              
 may be issued to a non-resident optometrist for the purpose of                
 assisting or substituting for an optometrist licensed under AS                
 08.72.                                                                        
                                                                               
 "Alaska has a lot of solo practitioners in remote and semi-remote             
 areas of the state.  If the practitioner becomes injured, seriously           
 ill, or must leave temporarily, he presently must close down his              
 clinic.  This can bring a hardship to his patients, especially if             
 the time away extends to several months.                                      
                                                                               
 "Also, outside specialists in subnormal vision, visual therapy,               
 etc., can be scheduled to assist local doctors where specialty care           
 does not now exist."                                                          
                                                                               
 REPRESENTATIVE TOOHEY commented that Catherine Reardon, with the              
 Division of Occupational Licensing, Department of Commerce and                
 Economic Development, was in attendance to answer specific                    
 questions.  She said one change had been made in the House Health,            
 Education and Social Services (HESS) Committee requesting that the            
 ability to dispense specific medications also travel with the locum           
 tenens permit.                                                                
                                                                               
 Number 068                                                                    
                                                                               
 CHAIRMAN KOTT asked the committee members if they were familiar               
 with HB 168.                                                                  
                                                                               
 Number 070                                                                    
                                                                               
 REPRESENTATIVE NORMAN ROKEBERG stated he had read it thoroughly,              
 and had also heard HB 168 in HESS.  He recommended that the                   
 committee adopt the committee substitute (CS) for HB 168(HES).                
                                                                               
 Number 074                                                                    
                                                                               
 REPRESENTATIVE BRIAN PORTER said he was familiar with the bill                
 having heard it last year.  He made a motion to move the CSHB                 
 168(HES) Version K, with individual recommendations and                       
 accompanying fiscal notes out of the House Labor and Commerce                 
 Committee.                                                                    
                                                                               
 CHAIRMAN KOTT asked if there was an objection.  Hearing none,  CSHB           
 168(HES), Version K, passed out of the House Labor and Commerce               
 Committee.                                                                    
                                                                               
 REPRESENTATIVE TOOHEY thanked the committee for their prompt and              
 efficient service.                                                            
                                                                               
 REPRESENTATIVE GENE KUBINA joined the meeting at 3:12 p.m.                    
                                                                               
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