SENATE CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 35(L&C) "An Act extending the termination date of the State Board of Registration for Architects, Engineers, and Land Surveyors; extending the term of a temporary member of the State Board of Registration for Architects, Engineers, and Land Surveyors; and providing for an effective date." This was the first hearing for this bill in the Senate Finance Committee. REPRESENTATIVE VIC KOHRING, the bill's sponsor, stated that this "simple bill" would extend the State Board of Registration for Architects, Engineers, and Land Surveyors for four years. The ten- member Board, whose members are appointed by the Governor, is charged with adopting regulations and providing oversight for the issuance of licenses to the aforementioned professionals. The Legislative Audit Division recently conducted an audit [copy not provided] and recommended that the Board be continued as it "successfully carries out its mission" and operates in the public interest. Representative Kohring noted that the Senate Labor & Commerce (L&C) committee substitute contains a change that would best be explained by the organization that lobbied for it. In conclusion, he asked for the Committee's support of the bill. Co-Chair Green identified SCS CS HB 35(L&C), Version 24-LS0273\Y as being before the Committee. SAM KITO JR., Chair, Legislative Liaison Committee, Alaska Professional Design Council, spoke in support of the bill. The Senate L&C committee substitute "added the temporary extension of a Landscape Architect position" on the Board. However, the bill drafter inadvertently omitted a paragraph that provided transition language in this regard. The desire would be that this Committee address that inadvertent language omission. Co-Chair Green asked whether the addition of the Landscape Architect position to the Board would increase the Board to eleven members. Mr. Kito explained that action in the House of Representative's Finance Committee had changed the temporary Landscape Architect to a permanent position. Concerns that that action might be "premature" were expressed by other House members as well as by the Alaska Professional Design Council. The bill adopted by the House Finance Committee, CS HB35 (FIN) would have increased the Board to eleven members. The Senate L&C committee substitute would specify a ten member Board "plus the one non-voting Landscape Architect position". Co-Chair Green stated that the Senate L&C bill, Version "Y", before the Committee did not specify the make-up of the ten-member Board. Co-Chair Wilken moved to adopt the Version "Y" committee substitute (L&C) as the working document. PAT DAVIDSON, Legislative Auditor, Legislative Audit Division, Legislative Agencies & Offices, affirmed that the Audit recommended a four-year extension of the Board, as the Board operated in the public's interest and the license fees were "sufficient to maintain the operations of the Board". In addition, the audit recommended that the Board consider "the use of sub-specialties or sub- disciplines in the engineering field". Such action is occurring in other states, and thought was that a study should be conducted in this regard to determine what costs and benefits such action might provide. Co-Chair Green asked for further information about the study. Ms. Davidson stated that the study would examine the use of specialties in engineering fields or sub-disciplines. Currently licenses are provided to the core areas of Civil, Engineering, Chemical, Electrical, and Mechanical Engineering as well as Mining and Petroleum Engineering. Continuing, however, she noted that there is a list of approximately 13 actual specialties and sub- disciplines. It is unknown whether the activities associated with those areas would warrant their being licensed. That determination would be the purpose of the study. [NOTE: No formal action regarding the motion to adopt the Senate L&C Committee Version "Y" committee substitute occurred.] Co-Chair Green ordered the bill HELD in Committee. 3:40:56 PM