SB 193-LICENSING FOR OPTOMETRY                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
1:37:00 PM                                                                                                                    
Chair Davis announced consideration of SB 193.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
1:37:32 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  PASKVAN,  sponsor of  SB  193,  said this  bill  updates                                                               
optometric  licensure  criteria  by standardizing  the  level  of                                                               
optometric licensure  as opposed to  the current three  levels of                                                               
licensure.  This   will  align   Alaska  statutes   with  current                                                               
education  levels that  are standard  in most  optometric schools                                                               
nationwide. Many states have  already passed similar legislation.                                                               
Alaskans deserve  the most current  care possible  and continuing                                                               
to license less than the  standard education levels puts citizens                                                               
at risk,  he said.  The Labor  and Commerce  Committee introduced                                                               
the bill at the request of the Board of Optometry.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
1:39:00 PM                                                                                                                    
JILL MATHESON, OD  and Chair, Alaska State  Optometry Board, said                                                               
the Optometric Association  is also advocating for SB  193 on the                                                               
board's behalf.  She related the bill  contains some housekeeping                                                               
changes but the focus is to  have one uniform level of licensure.                                                               
It's in the best interest of  the public to have all optometrists                                                               
qualified at the  same level. The bill does not  change the scope                                                               
of practice  or allow any  more privileges and it  doesn't remove                                                               
the requirements that the Legislature  put in place several years                                                               
ago.  A grandfather  clause  is included  so  that current  lower                                                               
level  licensees could  continue to  practice under  a restricted                                                               
license.  The  restricted  license  could be  upgraded  once  the                                                               
educational requirements have been met.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
1:40:07 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR DYSON joined the meeting.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  DAVIS closed  public  testimony and  noted  that the  bill                                                               
didn't appear to have any opposition.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  PASKVAN  moved to  report  SB  193 from  committee  with                                                               
individual  recommendations  and  attached zero  fiscal  note(s).                                                               
There being  no objection,  SB 193 moved  from the  Senate Health                                                               
and Social Services Standing Committee.