HB 245-LICENSING FOR OPTOMETRY  3:18:14 PM CHAIR PASKVAN announced HB 245 to be up for consideration. 3:19:23 PM KACI SHROEDER, staff to Representative Thomas, reviewed that HB 245 was brought forth on behalf of the Board of Optometry. Basically right now Alaska has three levels of licensures for optometrists: low, medium and high. The Board of Optometry would like to get rid of the two lower levels and just have everyone licensed at the highest level. Students graduating from optometry school right now are already graduating with the credentials to practice at the highest level, and most optometrists in Alaska already have upgraded themselves to be able to practice at the highest level. For those few optometrists who do not have the credentials and do not want to upgrade themselves, they would be issued a restricted license so they would still be able to practice but only at the level that is commensurate with their education level. She said HB 245 also allows for a retired license; she pointed out that most states in the nation have moved to this form of licensure and this would bring Alaska in line with other states. 3:19:57 PM SENATOR MEYER asked if someone is retired could they come out of retirement and practice again but have to take a certain amount of courses. SENATOR BUNDE also interjected that he had heard interesting debates on this issue and asked if there is general agreement between both sides at this point. MS. SCHROEDER replied yes. 3:20:39 PM JILL MATHESON, Chair, Alaska Board of Optometry, in response to Senator Meyer's question, said the Board has not come up with any regulations specifically about what those requirements would be, but that would be one of the regulations they would look at if this bill passes. SENATOR MEYER said his concern is that if someone comes out of retirement to practice that they might not be as current as someone else. MS. MATHESON said that would be their concern as well, so they would have some sort of regulation addressing that. CHAIR PASKVAN asked if there is any serious opposition. MS. MATHESON answered no. CHAIR PASKVAN asked if this bill adequately protects the public interest. MS. MATHESON answered yes. 3:22:18 PM CHAIR PASKVAN closed public SENATOR MEYER moved to report HB 245 from committee with individual recommendations and attached fiscal note(s). There were no objections and it was so ordered. 3:22:43 PM Finding no other business to come before the committee, Chair Paskvan adjourned the meeting at 3:22 p.m.