HB 242-EXTEND PT & OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY BOARD                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
4:10:20 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR OLSON  announced that  the next order  of business  would be                                                              
HOUSE BILL  NO. 243, "An Act  disapproving all recommendations  of                                                              
the  State  Officers  Compensation   Commission  relating  to  the                                                              
salaries  of  state  officers;  and  providing  for  an  effective                                                              
date."                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
4:10:37 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CRYSTAL  KOENEMAN,  Staff, Representative  Lora  Reinbold,  Alaska                                                              
State  Legislature, stated  that  HB 242  would  extend the  state                                                              
Physical   Therapy  and   Occupational  Therapy   Board  and   the                                                              
Legislative Audit  Division recommended full  eight-year extension                                                              
until  June 30,  2022.   The audit  determined  that the  Physical                                                              
Therapy  and  Occupational  Therapy  Board  is  operating  in  the                                                              
public's   interest   by   licensing   and   regulating   physical                                                              
therapists,    physical    therapy     assistants,    occupational                                                              
therapists,  and  occupational  therapy  assistants.    The  audit                                                              
recommended  that   the  Division  of  Corporations,   Business  &                                                              
Professional   Licensing  within   the  Department  of   Commerce,                                                              
Community  &  Economic  Development (DCCED)  continue  efforts  to                                                              
improve  the  integrity  and  confidentiality  of  the  division's                                                              
investigative case management system.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
4:11:41 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
KRIS  CURTIS,  Legislative Auditor,  Legislative  Audit  Division,                                                              
Legislative  Agencies  and  Offices, reported  that  the  division                                                              
conducted  a  sunset  audit  of the  State  Physical  Therapy  and                                                              
Occupational  Therapy  Board [Audit  Control  Number  08-20083-13]                                                              
dated  June 17,  2013.   Ms.  Koeneman accurately  summarized  the                                                              
results  of   the  audit.     The   legislative  audit   made  one                                                              
recommendation,  that the  Division  of Corporations,  Business  &                                                              
Professional   Licensing   (DCBPL)   within  the   Department   of                                                              
Commerce,  Community  &  Economic   Development  (DCCED)  continue                                                              
efforts  to  improve  the integrity  and  confidentiality  of  the                                                              
division's   investigative   case   management  system   and   the                                                              
division's investigative  support to the board.   She acknowledged                                                              
that the  system has  some problems; however,  the DCBPL  has been                                                              
working at  addressing them.   She related  that the  division has                                                              
made  the same  recommendation  to  all five  occupational  sunset                                                              
audits conducted in 2013.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
4:13:11 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
LEANNE    CARROTHERS,   President,    Alaska   Physical    Therapy                                                              
Association,  said she  would like  to testify  in support  of the                                                              
bill  and  the  extension  of  the   State  Physical  Therapy  and                                                              
Occupational   Therapy  Board,   which   serves  efficiently   and                                                              
effectively in its role of providing public protection.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
4:14:17 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
KATHLEEN  LIND, Chair,  State  Physical Therapy  and  Occupational                                                              
Therapy  Board, thanked  the audit  team for  the fairness  of its                                                              
audit.   She  concluded by  saying she  appreciated the  auditor's                                                              
recommendation.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
4:15:05 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  OLSON,  after  first  determining  no one  else  wished  to                                                              
testify, closed public testimony on HB 242.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE REINBOLD  moved to report  HB 242 out  of committee                                                              
with  individual  recommendations   and  the  accompanying  fiscal                                                              
notes.   There being no  objection, HB  242 was reported  from the                                                              
House Labor and Commerce Standing Committee.