1:32:46 PM SB 90-BOARD OF PUBLIC ACCOUNTANCY SECRETARY  CHAIR EGAN announced SB 90 to be up for consideration. SENATOR GIESSEL said she didn't have her bill packet and had questions. CHAIR EGAN delayed the hearing. SB 90-BOARD OF PUBLIC ACCOUNTANCY SECRETARY    CHAIR EGAN brought SB 90 up again. SENATOR GIESSEL said she supports the intent of SB 90, but it is still not clear to her why the personnel department lowered the secretary position to a range 19 instead of a range 23. The reason seems to be that it's not clear that the intent was that the person filling this role is actually a certified public accountant (CPA), a pretty high bar. Also, the board's regulations don't have clear criteria that makes this is a professional position with a management role that does supervisor and policy level work. That's how it got scaled back to a range 19. It looks like the person is just someone with accounting experience. She also thought that other accounting folks might want to be raised to a range 23, an unintended consequence. So, she suggested that the board make it really clear in their regulations that they intended a CPA who would be managing, supervising and making policy-level type decisions. Then there wouldn't be any question about the range level. 2:33:59 PM NICKI NEAL, Director, Division of Personnel and Labor Relations, Department of Administration (DOA), said it was not her understanding that the board's intent is to require a CPA. She didn't know if even then the position would get to a range 23, because statutes require like pay for like work for partially exempt positions, and the Personnel Board put this position in that category just last week. SENATOR PASKVAN asked if she had a position on SB 90. MS. NEAL replied that the division was neutral. SENATOR PASKVAN said it was his belief that the position would be there for purposes of making determinations on the conduct of the members; it's not just an accountant-type position. MS. NEAL responded that the she had the specifications, but she thought the director would be more familiar with the responsibilities. 2:36:31 PM DON HABEGAR, Director, Division of Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing, Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development (DCCED), said he has had numerous conversations with the CPA Board on this issue. The original intent was to require a CPA and provide a range 23 rate. However, it was brought up that a talent pool might be out there at the university level or someone else might be waiting in the wing. The board felt that at a range 19 they wouldn't be successful in having enough interest in the position. They also said a lot of folks from outside Alaska are interested in this type of licensure and that having someone who is knowledgeable about a wide variety of practices in other jurisdictions was important to them. So in the end language was broadened in HB 315 to include a CPA requirement and accounting skills. MR. HABEGAR said the board wants to be part of the hiring process. The Department of Law said if a public board member is voluntary but a part of their system, they can be considered an employee of the state for this regard. So, they could be part of the interview process. He added that speaking on behalf of the board, they would still like to see this bill go through. CHAIR EGAN said they passed this legislation unanimously last year, and a mistake was made saying the new hire couldn't be over a range 19. So, one of the things this legislation does is correct that mistake allowing the board to hire a range 23. SENATOR PASKVAN also clarified that the legislature intended this position to be a range 23 a year ago when it was classified as a range 19. He thought it was misclassified. Language in SB 90 dispenses with any question about it not being anything other than a range 23. SENATOR GIESSEL asked if the broader definition of the requirements of this job will require internal alignment with other folks who have accounting experience. MS. NEAL answered that some individuals might think a higher pay range for them is warranted because of this, but it would be her position that it's not because they are subject to the pay plan. 2:42:32 PM SENATOR PASKVAN moved to report SB 90 from committee with individual recommendations and attached zero fiscal note. There were no objections and it was so ordered. 2:42:57 PM At ease from 2:42 to 2:44. 2:44:13 PM CHAIR EGAN called the meeting back to order and adjourned at 2:44 p.m.