HB 280-EXTEND: BOARD OF MARITAL & FAMILY THERAPY    3:54:06 PM CHAIR KITO announced that the final order of business would be HOUSE BILL NO. 280, "An Act extending the termination date of the Board of Marital and Family Therapy; and providing for an effective date." 3:54:21 PM MEGAN HOLLAND, Staff, Representative Andy Josephson, Alaska State Legislature, on behalf of the sponsor presented HB 280, extending the termination date for the Board of Marital & Family Therapy. She explained that the board regulates, licenses, and trains marital and family therapists. It establishes and enforces training, education and continuing education requirements for its 85 licensees across the state. The board had received a full 8-year extension through LB&A. 3:55:30 PM KRIS CURTIS, Legislative Auditor, Legislative Audit Division, Legislative Agencies and Offices, reported on HB 280. She spoke to the May 2017 audit report conclusions that the board was serving the public interest, effectively licensing and regulating marital and family therapists and marital and family supervisors. The board monitors licensees and works to ensure only qualified individuals practice. Additionally, the audit found that the board had actively developed and adopted regulations to improve the profession. Legislative Audit recommended an 8-year extension. There were no recommendations made as part of the audit. At 85 licensees as of January 31, 2017, it was one of the smaller boards. MS. CURTIS indicated the board had a surplus of just over [$]68,000 as of March 31 and had been operating with the surplus over the past several years, which had not always been the case for this board. The Office of the Governor, the department, and the board all concurred with the conclusions and were all in favor of an 8-year extension. 3:57:22 PM NICOLE JENKINS, Member, Board of Marital and Family Therapy, Boards and Commissions, testified in support of HB 280. She stated the board had operated under a deficit budget for more than a decade due to the high cost of a disciplinary investigation of a license. The board had paid off the debt by raising licensing fees and was continuing to encourage the use of any surplus to reduce fees for its licensees. The Board of Marital and Family Therapy served to protect the public interest of Alaskans by overseeing the licensing of marital and family therapists and ensuring that Alaskans received safe and ethical care. 3:58:39 PM REPRESENTATIVE WOOL mentioned an investigative action that made the board "run in the red." He asked whether the board had enough surplus to cover a similar circumstance. MS. JENKINS replied in the affirmative. One of the last sunset audit recommendations in 2014 was to improve the investigative management system to address any costs that may be incurred. The board had complied. 3:59:45 PM CHAIR KITO opened public testimony on HB 280 and ascertained that no one wished to testify. CHAIR KITO held over HB 280.