HB 302-EXTEND: BOARD OF PROFESSIONAL COUNSELORS                                                                     
                                                                                                                              
3:20:33 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR KITO  announced that the  first order of business  would be                                                               
HOUSE BILL  NO. 302,  "An Act extending  the termination  date of                                                               
the  Board  of  Professional  Counselors; and  providing  for  an                                                               
effective date."                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
3:20:51 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
ASHLEY  STRAUCH, Staff,  Representative Adam  Wool, Alaska  State                                                               
Legislature, introduced HB 302 on  behalf of Representative Wool,                                                               
prime sponsor.   She  stated the proposed  bill would  extend the                                                               
sunset date for the Board  of Professional Counselors to June 30,                                                               
2026.  She  explained the board's primary function  is to license                                                               
professional  counselors and  to  issue supervisor  certificates.                                                               
She added  the board was made  up of five members,  of which four                                                               
were professional  counselors.  She highlighted  from fiscal year                                                               
2014 (FY 14)   to FY 16,  the board had a 46  percent increase in                                                               
new licenses  and had issued  190 new licenses and  73 supervisor                                                               
certifications over  that time.   The audit recommended  the full                                                               
extension.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
3:21:52 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE KNOPP  asked whether  she knew  what the  new rate                                                               
for licenses was following the [46] percent increase.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
MS. STRAUCH deferred to Kris Curtis, Legislative Auditor.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
3:22:23 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
KRIS  CURTIS, Legislative  Auditor,  Legislative Audit  Division,                                                               
Legislative  Agencies and  Offices, presented  April 2017  sunset                                                               
audit  findings  related  to  HB  302.   She  stated  the  report                                                               
concluded  that the  board  was serving  the  public interest  by                                                               
effectively  licensing and  regulating  counselors and  certified                                                               
counselor supervisors.   She added the  board monitored licensees                                                               
and  worked to  ensure that  only qualified  counselors practice.                                                               
She reiterated  that the board  was growing, with an  increase of                                                               
46 percent  in licensees compared  to the previous  sunset audit.                                                               
She stated the board had a  surplus of just over $70 thousand and                                                               
the board  planned to reduce  fees to  address the surplus.   She                                                               
presented that  the Office of  the Governor, the  department, and                                                               
the board all concurred with the recommended extension.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
3:24:43 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  KITO  opened public  testimony  on  HB 302  and  announced                                                               
public testimony would remain open.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR KITO held over HB 302.