HB 137 - BOARD OF VETERINARY EXAMINERS; LICENSE Number 0030 CHAIRMAN ROKEBERG announced the first order of business was House Bill No. 137, "An Act relating to veterinarians; extending the termination date of the Board of Veterinary Examiners; and providing for an effective date." Number 0075 REPRESENTATIVE JOHN COWDERY made a motion to adopt as a work draft version 0-LS0549\E, Lauterbach, 4/3/97. CHAIRMAN ROKEBERG called a brief at-ease. He then asked the committee aide to explain the situation with HB 137. Number 0153 SHIRLEY ARMSTRONG, Legislative Assistant to Representative Norman Rokeberg, said when HB 137 was before the committee previously, they made changes to conform to changes the Senate Labor and Commerce Committee had indicated they would make. Since then, she had held the committee substitute drafted at that time. The Senate committee had made no further changes. Therefore, what the House Labor and Commerce Committee discussed at the previous hearing was exactly what was before them now. Number 0208 REPRESENTATIVE COWDERY asked whether the same fiscal note applies. MS. ARMSTRONG affirmed that. There was no increase in the number of members. The major change is on page 3, line 5. Some veterinarians had a problem with the practical examination; there is still no consensus on that. They would prefer to remove that exam, saying it is essentially the same as the other exam they already take. However, a group of veterinarians in Alaska believes they should have knowledge of Alaska-specific maladies. She cited the high incidence of rabies as an example. "If there is any controversy, that's the only one," she stated. "Other than that, everybody else has pretty much indicated the rest of the changes are not significant." Number 0337 REPRESENTATIVE JOE RYAN asked about the penned-in notation on page 3, line 18, of the draft. MS. ARMSTRONG advised that was her own note. Number 0376 CHAIRMAN ROKEBERG asked for verification that nothing in the bill affects Iditarod-type veterinarians, for example. MS. ARMSTRONG said no, they obtain permits under "that last section where we were making a note." She said there was a discussion about veterinarians coming to Alaska, setting up shop for two or three months in the summer and doing business. That was why she had made the notation, as she questioned whether that should be changed or reduced. For the Iditarod, for example, someone could get a 60-day renewable permit, for a total of 120 days. MS. ARMSTRONG said apparently the Senate had not dealt with that. "What they've been trying to avoid on these boards is so they don't have to go to a conference committee," she said. "So we've been trying to keep them the same. But they haven't reached any agreement on the Alaska issue, and I'm not sure what they would do if we changed the current law." CHAIRMAN ROKEBERG asked if there was any objection to passage of the bill. He advised that the committee substitute had already been adopted. Number 0497 REPRESENTATIVE RYAN made a motion to move CSHB 137(L&C) from committee with individual recommendations and accompanying zero fiscal note. CHAIRMAN ROKEBERG, hearing no objection, advised that CSHB 137(L&C) moved from the House Labor and Commerce Standing Committee.