Number 410 CSHB 137(L&C) - BOARD OF VETERINARY EXAMINERS; LICENSE CHAIRMAN GREEN brought CSHB 137(L&C) before the committee as the final order of business. She directed attention to a draft SCS CSHB 137(STA). SENATOR WARD moved the adoption of SCS CSHB 137(STA), version "B." Hearing no objection, the Chairman stated the committee substitute was adopted as a working document. ANNETTE KREITZER, staff to the Senate Labor & Commerce Committee, explained that SB 92, which is the companion piece of legislation on the Senate side to HB 137, moved out of the Senate Labor & Commerce Committee last session into the Senate State Affairs Committee and the House bill moved over to the Senate State Affairs Committee as well. During the interim, the Board of Veterinarians looked at the proposed language and came up with something that would work for all of them. The State Affairs SCS encompasses the debate of the board, veterinarians not on the board and the Department of Commerce & Economic Development. Ms. Kreitzer, addressing the differences between the new committee substitute and the bill passed by the House, directed attention to Section 2, subsection (a)(2), which was amended to ensure that a licensee before applying for a license has within the preceding five years passed the national exams approved by the board. She explained that this doesn't mean that they are limited to one exam. The board, in its consultation with national experts, has been told that there is a move nationwide to consolidate the two tests that are given now into one test in future, so they wanted to just deal with it prospectively now. Generally, graduates of veterinary schools will pass the national exams concurrent with graduation, but the board wanted that five-year requirement language on page 1, lines 13 and 14. Ms. Kreitzer said the change on page 2, lines 6 - 8 of the State Affairs SCS is a significant change from the House version. It adds the requirement that the applicant is in good standing, as defined by the board in regulation, instead of the previous requirement of passing a practical examination of skills if required by the board. A proposed regulation will encompass all of the items that are being deleted, and the bill, through the effective date, gives the board 18 months to accomplish this regulation. She added that nothing will change until the effective date. Section 3 sets out the requirements that a person seeking a temporary license must meet. It provides that the temporary licensee must have graduated from an accredited veterinary school or successfully completed the foreign veterinary graduate certification process, must be in good standing as defined in regulation, and must have paid all required fees. Section 4 amends the portions of AS 08.98.184 that deal with licensure by credentials for veterinarians who already are licensed in another state, territory, or country On page 3, lines 5 and 6, the State Affairs SCS removes the requirement that licensed veterinarians entering Alaska practice must past what is called the clinical competency test. Ms. Kreitzer said this was done after much discussion with national experts and much discussion among board members. They felt it wasn't necessary for veterinarians who were coming to Alaska as long as they passed the written Alaska exam. On page 3, lines 8 through 12 language is removed that speaks to what is good standing and puts it into regulation. Section 5 sets out the requirements that a person seeking a temporary permit must meet three of the same requirements as a temporary licensee. The person must have graduated from an accredited veterinary school, must be in good standing as defined in regulation, and must have paid all required fees. Sections 7 and 8 allow the board to begin work immediately on the regulations. Ms. Kreitzer said there was some concern that they wanted to have the direction and that they could have the ability on these regulations. Concluding her overview, Ms. Kreitzer said Section 9 provides that all changes to the testing and licensing of veterinarians take effect January 1, 2000. Number 488 MS. KREITZER, speaking to a proposed amendment to SCS CSHB 137(STA), explained that earlier in the day is was discovered that AS 08.98.140 speaks to the content of the examination and it spells out the National Board Examination Committee which they are trying to get rid of. To leave it in would directly conflict with what is in the committee substitute and the agreement with the board, the veterinarians and the department. Number 498 SENATOR MILLER moved the adoption of the following amendment to SCS CSHB 137(STA). Hearing no objection, CHAIRMAN GREEN stated the amendment was adopted and would be incorporated into the SCS. Amendment No. 1 Page 3, line 11: Insert AS 08.98.140 is repealed Number 510 MS. KREITZER commented that she has followed this issue through with the Senate Labor & Commerce Committee and has been in contact with all the veterinarians, the Senate State Affairs staff, the Board of Veterinarians and the department to ensure that everyone has come to a consensus. She said although she cannot say that every veterinarian in the state will be happy, she has not talked to one who has opposed the legislation. Number 520 SENATOR WARD moved SCS CSHB 137(STA), as amended, and the accompanying zero fiscal note be passed out of committee with individual recommendations. Hearing no objection, it was so ordered. Number 528 DR. JON BASLER, testifying via teleconference from Anchorage, informed the committee that he is the immediate past president of the Alaska Veterinary Medical Association, and when he testified on HB 137 bill last year, there was concern among the veterinarians for it. However, he said the changes that have been proposed by the Board of Veterinarians Examiners are within the parameters of what has been discussed at their meetings and all of the major concerns have been addressed. As a current member of the executive board of the Alaska Veterinary Medical Association, he said the association backs the bill as it is currently written.