ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE  JOINT MEETING  HOUSE LABOR & COMMERCE STANDING COMMITTEE  SENATE LABOR & COMMERCE STANDING COMMITTEE  February 27, 2001 1:40 p.m. HOUSE MEMBERS PRESENT Representative Lisa Murkowski, Chair Representative Kevin Meyer Representative Pete Kott Representative Harry Crawford Representative Joe Hayes HOUSE MEMBERS ABSENT  Representative Andrew Halcro, Vice Chair Representative Norman Rokeberg SENATE MEMBERS PRESENT Senator Randy Phillips, Chair Senator Alan Austerman Senator Loren Leman Senator Bettye Davis SENATE MEMBERS ABSENT  Senator John Torgerson   COMMITTEE CALENDAR    CONFIRMATION HEARINGS State Board of Registration for Architects, Engineers and Land Surveyors Daphne E. Brown - Anchorage Patrick H. Kalen - Fairbanks Robert E. Miller - Anchorage - CONFIRMATIONS ADVANCED Board of Veterinary Examiners William (Bill) McDonald - Fairbanks - CONFIRMATION ADVANCED Alaska State Board of Public Accountancy Kathleen B. Shreiber - Eagle River Linda C. Thomas - Juneau - CONFIRMATIONS ADVANCED Board of Barbers & Hairdressers Darae Crews - Anchorage Sheryl L. Sutton - Juneau Larry Allen Ungerecht - Anchorage - CONFIRMATIONS ADVANCED Alaska Labor Relations Agency Richard D. Brickley - Fairbanks Aaron T. Isaacs - Klawock - CONFIRMATIONS ADVANCED Board of Marine Pilots Anthony (Tony) J. Joslyn - Anchor Point Jeffrey L. Thompson - Anchorage - CONFIRMATIONS ADVANCED Occupational Safety & Health Review Board Cliff Davidson - Kodiak Carla L. Meek - Juneau - CONFIRMATIONS ADVANCED Board of Certified Real Estate Appraisers James A. Hage - Fairbanks Stephen F. Turner - Anchorage - CONFIRMATIONS ADVANCED Real Estate Commission Clarence Bolden - Anchorage Gail Dossman - Anchorage Lottie M. Michael - Anchorage - CONFIRMATIONS ADVANCED Regulatory Commission of Alaska James S. Strandberg - Anchorage - CONFIRMATION ADVANCED Alaska Workers Compensation Board John A. Abshire - Wasilla Valerie K. Baffone - Anchorage Richard H. Behrends - Juneau John Giuchici - Fairbanks Stephen T. Hagedorn - Anchorage Andrew (Bear) J. Piekarski - Eagle River Marc D. Stemp - Bethel Robin E. Ward - Anchorage - CONFIRMATIONS ADVANCED PREVIOUS ACTION    No previous action to record. WITNESS REGISTER    AMY ERICKSON, Staff to Representative Lisa Murkowski Alaska State Legislature Capitol Building, Room 408 Juneau, Alaska 99801 POSITION STATEMENT: Clarified information about Mr. Robert Miller's qualifications. ACTION NARRATIVE TAPE 01-25, SIDE A [Tape counter numbers reflect time in real minutes] CHAIR RANDY PHILLIPS called the joint meeting of the House and Senate Labor and Commerce Standing Committees to order at 1:40 p.m. Senate members present at the call to order included Phillips, Austerman, Leman, and Davis. Number 00.5 CHAIR LISA MURKOWSKI announced that House members present at the call to order included Representatives Murkowski, Meyer, and Crawford. Representatives Kott and Hayes joined the meeting as it was in progress. CONFIRMATION HEARINGS Brought before the committees were nominations of appointees to several state boards and commissions. CHAIR PHILLIPS asked Senate members to hold any objections they may have regarding nominees until the hearing on March 1st. State Board of Registration for Architects, Engineers and Land Surveyors [Although the confirmations of Daphne E. Brown of Anchorage and Patrick H. Kalen of Fairbanks were before the committee, no discussion ensued. The confirmation of Robert E. Miller of Anchorage was also before the committee, and the following discussion ensued.] CHAIR MURKOWSKI said she had a question about Mr. Robert Miller, proposed for confirmation for the State Board of Registration for Architects, Engineers and Land Surveyors. She explained that [to qualify] to be the civil engineer member on the board, one needs five years' practical experience in the field. She pointed out that Mr. Miller was very qualified in the teaching area, but it appeared that he only had three years [of experience] as an actual engineer. She asked for clarification in this area. Number 02.2 AMY ERICKSON, Staff to Representative Lisa Murkowski, Alaska State Legislature, responded that Mr. Miller's teaching in advanced engineering education is considered practical experience and is sufficient to meet the qualifications. Board of Veterinary Examiners [The following discussion ensued regarding William (Bill) McDonald of Fairbanks.] Number 02.6 CHAIR MURKOWSKI pointed out that Mr. McDonald's biography contained nothing that would indicate how long he had been in Alaska. She said it indicates that he was the commander of the 354th Logistics Group at Eielson Air Force Base. Although [his biography] doesn't say if he is still in Alaska, she assumes he is. Number 3.1 SENATOR LEMAN remarked that Mr. Miller is probably one of the best people one could have on the State Board of Registration for Architects, Engineers and Land Surveyors. He relayed that Mr. Miller was not available today [to testify]. He explained that Mr. Miller is a registered civil engineer who complies with the statute and meets the qualifications. Number 4.2 CHAIR PHILLIPS mentioned that he had the same two questions that Chair Murkowski had. He asked Senator Leman if it was his opinion that Mr. Miller is qualified. SENATOR LEMAN indicated an affirmative answer. Number 05.3 CHAIR PHILLIPS pointed out that it is difficult, just based on a his resume, to determine whether Mr. McDonald is a resident of Alaska and [to understand] what he's been doing since his retirement. CHAIR MURKOWSKI said nothing in his biography would indicate he is in Alaska. Number 06.1 SENATOR LEMAN remarked that he finds himself in an uncomfortable position defending the governor's nominees. However, when there is someone who is unusually talented, he said he would do so. He noted that in addition to having served [in the military], Mr. McDonald's wife is the existing executive director of the Fairbanks Board of Realtors. He said it is highly unlikely that (indisc.). Number 07.4 CHAIR MURKOWSKI noted that to this point, there hadn't been any objections to the nominees. Alaska State Board of Public Accountancy [Although the confirmations of Kathleen B. Shreiber of Eagle River and Linda C. Thomas of Juneau were before the committee, no discussion ensued.] Board of Barbers & Hairdressers [Although the confirmations of Darae Crews of Anchorage, Sheryl L. Sutton of Juneau, and Larry Allen Ungerecht of Anchorage were before the committee, no discussion ensued. Discussion about the recently added Body Piercer and Tattooist seat and of Larry Allen Ungerecht of Anchorage took place under Number 11.0 below.] Alaska Labor Relations Agency [Although the confirmations of Richard D. Brickley of Fairbanks and Aaron T. Isaacs of Klawock were before the committee, no discussion ensued.] Board of Marine Pilots [Although the confirmations of Anthony (Tony) J. Joslyn of Anchor Point and Jeffrey L. Thompson of Anchorage were before the committee, no discussion ensued.] Occupational Safety & Health Review Board [Although the confirmations of Cliff Davidson of Kodiak and Carla L. Meek of Juneau were before the committee, no discussion ensued.] Board of Certified Real Estate Appraisers [Although the confirmations of James A. Hage of Fairbanks and Stephen F. Turner of Anchorage were before the committee, no discussion ensued.] Real Estate Commission [Although the confirmations of Clarence Bolden of Anchorage, Gail Dossman of Anchorage, and Lottie M. Michael of Anchorage were before the committee, no discussion ensued.] Regulatory Commission of Alaska [Although the confirmation of James S. Strandberg of Anchorage was before the committee, no discussion ensued.] Alaska Workers Compensation Board [Although the confirmations of John A. Abshire of Wasilla, Valerie K. Baffone of Anchorage, Richard H. Behrends of Juneau, John Giuchici of Fairbanks, Stephen T. Hagedorn of Anchorage, Andrew (Bear) J. Piekarski of Eagle River, Marc D. Stemp of Bethel, and Robin E. Ward of Anchorage were before the committee, no discussion ensued.] Number 07.7 CHAIR PHILLIPS asked for a motion from the Senate members. Number 07.8 SENATOR LEMAN made a motion that the Senate Labor and Commerce Standing Committee advance a letter to the full Senate indicating that the nominees' qualifications have been reviewed. Members would sign the letter indicating their intention to vote. There being no objection, it was so ordered. Number 08.6 CHAIR MURKOWSKI asked for a similar motion but noted that the committee was not sending forward a single letter, as has been done in the past. She explained that the committee would be sending forward a specific letter for each individual, bringing forth the recommendation from the committee. Number 08.9 REPRESENTATIVE KOTT made a motion for the House Labor and Commerce Standing Committee to submit letters on each individual nominated for the various boards and commissions to the full House. The entire House of Representatives would review the information and vote either for or against each individual, after reviewing his or her qualifications. There being no objection, it was so ordered. Number 09.6 CHAIR MURKOWSKI mentioned the issue of [board members'] term expiration dates. She said the [current] expiration dates are "all over the board," and said a March 1st date has been requested. She said the termination dates would be changed to reflect what is in statute; this would happen when the committee sends forth its recommendations. Number 11.0 REPRESENTATIVE MEYER asked Ms. Catherine Reardon, Division of Occupational Licensing, if the Board of Barbers and Hairdressers is comfortable having the Body Piercing and Tattooist [seat] as part of the board. He made a point to mention that Mr. Larry Allen Ugerecht has the [necessary] qualifications, and has been a tattooist for several years. Number 11.5 CATHERINE REARDON, Director, Division of Occupational Licensing, Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED), responded that the Board of Barbers and Hairdressers is ambivalent about having this seat as part of the board but that it is [now] in statute. She said the nominee, Mr. Larry Allen Ungerecht, attended the last [board] meeting; she thought the board was pleased by the quality of his input. Number 12.1 MS. REARDON said one of the board's concerns had been its limited knowledge about tattooing and piercing. She said the board was pleased to have an expert at the table, which was the purpose of putting the seat on the board. She said she didn't think the board was ambivalent about having the seat on the board, but rather about regulating those professions. Since the board is regulating these groups, she thought the board liked having someone at the table who knows what is being talked about. Number 12.6 REPRESENTATIVE MEYER said it looked as if Mr. Ungerecht had been on the board since the end of last year, and asked if he had been coming to the meetings. Number 12.7 MS. REARDON replied that there had only been one meeting since he was appointed, and he attended. ADJOURNMENT  Number 13.0 There being no further business before the committees, the joint meeting of the House and Senate Labor and Commerce Standing Committees was adjourned at 1:55 p.m.