SENATE BILL NO. 90                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
     "An Act classifying and setting a monthly salary for                                                                       
     the executive secretary of the Board of Public                                                                             
     Accountancy."                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
10:19:32 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Senator Egan referred stated that  the bill would reclassify                                                                    
a position according to legislation passed in 2010.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
10:20:02 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
DANA OWEN,  STAFF, SENATOR EGAN,  explained that  during the                                                                    
26th  legislature the  committee had  authorized a  position                                                                    
for the Board of Accountancy  and had included in the budget                                                                    
funds   to  pay   for  a   range  23.   The  Department   of                                                                    
Administration  had  insisted   on  a  classification  study                                                                    
before the  law could  be implemented. The  study determined                                                                    
that the range should be a  19 and not a 23. The legislation                                                                    
argues that  a range 19  was inappropriate to  the position;                                                                    
the  position required  a more  highly  skilled and  trained                                                                    
individual than  would normally be  found at a range  19. He                                                                    
pointed  out  to  the  committee  that  the  money  for  the                                                                    
position was drawn  entirely from fees, which  resulted in a                                                                    
zero fiscal note.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
10:21:23 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Senator Olson asked if an attempt  had been made to fill the                                                                    
position at a range 19.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Owen replied no.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
Senator  Olson  understood  that  the  position  was  for  a                                                                    
secretary.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Mr.  Owen  replied  that the  position  had  been  retitled:                                                                    
Administrative Director.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
10:22:25 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
MAX  MERTZ, CERTIFIED  PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS,  BOARD OF  PUBLIC                                                                    
ACCOUNTANCY, stated that an  investigation into the position                                                                    
had revealed  the details of  the position for  other boards                                                                    
of  accountancy  around the  country  and  had compared  the                                                                    
general market  for the CPA  community in Alaska.  From that                                                                    
investigation a salary range had  been determined that would                                                                    
be necessary in order to hire  a person who met the position                                                                    
requirements.                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
10:23:17 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Senator Olson highlighted  that there had been  no effort to                                                                    
hire for  the position at a  range 19. He said  that a study                                                                    
had  been   done  that  indicated  that   the  position  was                                                                    
appropriate at a 19 pay range.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Mertz explained that  the Department of Administration's                                                                    
study,  which  compared  the statutory  requirement  of  the                                                                    
position  with  the  statutory requirements  of  nurses  and                                                                    
medical administrators, had not evaluated the position                                                                          
against the market or positions that were similar.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
Senator Olson wondered if there was a requirement for the                                                                       
position to be filled by a licenses CPA.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Mertz replied that it was not a requirement.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
10:24:47 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Hoffman MOVED to report SB 90 out of committee                                                                         
with individual recommendations and the accompanying fiscal                                                                     
note(s).                                                                                                                        
There being NO OBJECTION it was so ordered.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
SB 90 was REPORTED out of committee with individual                                                                             
recommendations and accompanying fiscal notes.