SB 47-VEHICLE REGISTRATION/PERSONS W/DISABILITY  4:31:13 PM CHAIR SHOWER announced the consideration of SENATE BILL NO. 47 "An Act relating to special registration plates for vehicles owned by persons with disabilities." He listed the individuals available to answer questions. 4:31:54 PM SENATOR ELVI GRAY-JACKSON, Alaska State Legislature, Juneau, Alaska, sponsor of SB 47, read the following sponsor statement into the record: SB47 amends AS 28.10.181(d) to allow speech-language pathologists, physical therapists, and occupational therapists to provide proof of disability to their clients. Currently, only chiropractors, physicians, physicians' assistants, or advanced practice registered nurses can provide proof of disability to their clients. By expanding the ability for medical professionals in different fields to provide proof of disability to individuals, the opportunity to obtain special registration plates for vehicles is expanded for people with different kinds of disabilities. Oftentimes, Individuals with disabilities are in more constant contact with their physical or occupational therapists than with physicians because their issues require more specialized care. It can be cumbersome for these people, who are already sufferings with disabilities, to make an additional visit to the physician purely for the purpose of acquiring their plaques. To provide ease and accessibility for these disabled people, it would be more efficient and effective to allow these additional types of professionals to provide proof of disability. 4:33:31 PM KEITH FOGERS, Staff, Senator Elvi Gray-Jackson, Alaska State Legislature, delivered the following sectional analysis for SB 47: Section 1: Amends AS 28.10.181(d) to include a person licensed as a speech-language pathologist, or as a physical therapist or occupational therapist under AS.08.84. 4:35:13 PM CHAIR SHOWER found no initial questions and opened public testimony on SB 47. 4:35:30 PM PATRICIA MACADOO, representing self, Anchorage, Alaska, stated that she is a physical therapist who has done itinerant work in the Bush since retiring from the US Public Health Service. She said the providers listed in the existing statute are not always available to people who live in the Bush. Handicap placards are not needed in the Bush, but one is needed when a village resident who has a mobility impairment visits a larger community such as Anchorage or Fairbanks. It is a problem if they cannot get a placard until they see a doctor and get the paperwork processed. She said it would be helpful if itinerant providers such as herself could provide the handicap placards. The criteria are set out in legislation so no one could set up their own criteria. She serves the southern and eastern villages of Norton Sound and frequently needs to beseech a physician in Nome to audit the record and issue a placard for someone they have never seen just to get a placard. This bill is long overdue, she said. 4:37:54 PM LEEANNE CARROTHERS, representing self, Anchorage, Alaska, stated that she is the Government Affairs Liaison for the American Physical Therapy Association, Alaska Chapter, but was speaking for herself as a licensed physical therapist. The association had not met and taken a stand on the legislation, but she anticipated it would do so very soon. Speaking with 35 years as a clinician and educator of physical therapy, she contended that physical therapists, occupational therapists, and speech and language pathologists have the knowledge and skills to assess whether or not somebody meets the disability requirements to receive a disability parking permit or license plate. She said she is able to see patients without a referral and she believes that statutorily authorizing physical therapists to sign these forms will save time and money by eliminating the need to visit an additional provider. Passing the bill will allow rehabilitation therapists to practice at the level appropriate to their knowledge, skills, and experience, she concluded. 4:40:21 PM ANNETTE ALFONSI, representing self, Anchorage, Alaska, stated that she was representing herself and the Unmasking Brain Injury Project. She related her personal experience of being in a serious car accident and receiving a traumatic brain injury. She said she has planned and implemented annual brain injury education with continuing education credit for chiropractors, physical therapists, occupational therapists, and other health care professionals. She has worked in medical and dental offices and has received treatment from all the fields listed in the bill. MS. ALFONSI said the disability parking placard form asks about walking distance and walking with assistance and she has found that physical therapists generally assess this aspect of walking more extensively than physicians do. She pointed out that it is within the scope of practice for an occupational therapist (OT) to do a driving test and workers' compensation accepts the results but OTs do not have the ability to provide the disability parking placard. She said she also worked with a speech therapist on cognitive retraining, but none of these therapists can issue the parking placard. She had to make another appointment to get the parking placard. She said this bill will save time and money and increase independence, healing, and economic viability. She urged passage of SB 47. 4:43:21 PM CHAIR SHOWER thanked her for talking about how the bill will help people. SENATOR REINBOLD described Ms. Alfonsi's testimony as impressive and valuable. SENATOR KAWASAKI asked what the scope of practice is for speech pathologists. MS. ALFONSI answered that speech therapists are able to provide cognitive assessments and cognitive retraining to address cognitive fatigue and neurological overload that may result from a brain injury. She described losing one's car in a parking lot due to cognitive fatigue brought on by stress and too much walking. SENATOR KAWASAKI thanked her for the explanation. SENATOR HOLLAND said he understands the importance of the bill based on Ms. Alfonsi's testimony. CHAIR SHOWER related that he has a sister-in-law in this field, and it is amazing what these therapists can do to help people with traumatic brain injuries become productive members of society once again. SENATOR GRAY-JACKSON thanked the testifiers for calling and the committee for hearing the bill. 4:48:56 PM CHAIR SHOWER closed public testimony on SB 47 and held the bill in committee.