HB 181-WAIVE CONTINUING EDUC. REQ FOR MILITARY REPRESENTATIVE KOTT announced that the next order of business would be HOUSE BILL NO. 181, "An Act establishing a waiver for active duty military service of continuing education requirements for renewal of occupational licenses." [Before the committee was CSHB 181(MLV).] 3:43:14 PM REPRESENTATIVE ROKEBERG moved to adopt CSHB 181, Version 24- LS0685\L dated 4/15/05, as the working document. There being no objection, Version L was before the committee. KAREN LISTER, Staff to Representative John Coghill, Alaska State Legislature, explained that this bill was introduced to eliminate the possibility that a professional licensee would lose his/her license because of failure to fulfill the statutory requirements for continuing education while serving on active duty. This bill provides active duty military personnel the opportunity to make up the necessary education requirements once such personnel return to the states. Furthermore, HB 181 would provide the boards and commissions the ability to waive the educational requirements for those professionals which they govern and the Department of Commerce, Community, & Economic Development would have the same ability for those professions for which there is no board or commission. 3:45:33 PM MS. LISTER highlighted the major change made in the House Special Committee on Military and Veterans' Affairs, which was to include all active duty military rather than only individuals in the National Guard and Reserves. The aforementioned change came about after realizing that state licenses are held by full- time soldiers and sailors as well as part-time military personnel. She noted that HB 181 has a zero fiscal note. 3:46:46 PM REPRESENTATIVE ROKEBERG surmised then that the bill does not stipulate what branch of service the individual is serving in, as long as the individual is [classified as] on active duty. MS. LISTER answered that was correct. REPRESENTATIVE KOTT, upon determining there were no further questions, closed public testimony. 3:48:17 PM REPRESENTATIVE ROKEBERG characterized HB 181 as a good bill. REPRESENTATIVE LEDOUX moved to report CSHB 181, Version 24- LS0685\L, out of committee with individual recommendations and zero fiscal note. There being no objection, CSHB 181(L&C) was reported out of the House Labor and Commerce Standing Committee.