SENATE BILL NO. 263                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
     "An Act extending the termination date of the Board of                                                                     
     Professional   Counselors;   and   providing   for   an                                                                    
     effective date."                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
1:50:32 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Applebee presented SB 263,  which extends the sunset for                                                                    
the board of  professional counselors to June  30, 2018. The                                                                    
board of  professional counselors was established  under the                                                                    
provisions of  Alaska statute and  consists of  five members                                                                    
appointed  by  the  governor.  The  opinion  of  Legislative                                                                    
Budget & Audit is that  the board of professional counselors                                                                    
continues  to  regulate   professional  counselors  who  are                                                                    
serving the public interest by  promoting the competence and                                                                    
integrity  to those  who provide  service to  the public  as                                                                    
licensed professional counselors.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Stedman  mentioned the fiscal note  from Department                                                                    
of Commerce, Community and  Economic Development showing the                                                                    
cost  of the  board  at $50  thousand  in receipt  supported                                                                    
services.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Ms.  Davidson noted  that the  recommendation  is for  board                                                                    
extension   to   June   30,   2018.   She   mentioned   four                                                                    
recommendations in  the report. The  recommendations include                                                                    
more timely  appointments with the  office of  the governor,                                                                    
increased  administrative support,  and two  issues relating                                                                    
to investigations that  were not done in a  timely manner. A                                                                    
final recommendation  was made  that any  information coming                                                                    
to the  attention of the  licensing examiner related  to any                                                                    
complaint   or  investigation   should  be   forwarded.  The                                                                    
recommendation  was the  result  of a  case of  insufficient                                                                    
communication  between   the  licensee,  examiner   and  the                                                                    
division's investigators.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
SB  263  was  HEARD  and   HELD  in  Committee  for  further                                                                    
consideration.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
1:54:00 PM