ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE  HOUSE LABOR AND COMMERCE STANDING COMMITTEE  February 8, 2006 3:30 p.m. MEMBERS PRESENT Representative Tom Anderson, Chair Representative Pete Kott Representative Gabrielle LeDoux Representative Bob Lynn Representative Norman Rokeberg Representative Harry Crawford Representative David Guttenberg MEMBERS ABSENT  All members present COMMITTEE CALENDAR CONFIRMATION HEARING(S) ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE CONTROL BOARD Shirley A. Gifford - Soldotna - CONFIRMATION(S) ADVANCED ALASKA STATE BOARD OF PUBLIC ACCOUNTANCY Johnny Floyd - Anchorage Daniel J. Rozema - Anchorage Elaine R. Williamson - Fairbanks - CONFIRMATION(S) ADVANCED STATE BOARD OF REGISTRATION FOR ARCHITECTS, ENGINEERS, AND LAND SURVEYORS Terry Gorlick - Anchorage Burdett B. Lent - Wasilla Daniel Walsh - Fairbanks - CONFIRMATION(S) ADVANCED BOARD OF CHIROPRACTIC EXAMINERS Dr. Gregory M. Culbert - Eagle River Dr. Rosemary E. Zimmerman - Girdwood - CONFIRMATION(S) ADVANCED ALASKA LABOR RELATIONS AGENCY Matthew R. McSorley - Anchorage - CONFIRMATION(S) ADVANCED BOARD OF MARITAL AND FAMILY THERAPY Vivian C. Finlay - Wasilla Curtis C. Schlosser - Homer Dorothy (Dottie) Vanmeter Stanton - Anchorage Patricia A. White - Juneau - CONFIRMATION(S) ADVANCED BOARD OF CERTIFIED DIRECT-ENTRY MIDWIVES Barbara Norton - Anchorage Holly M. Steiner - Wasilla - CONFIRMATION(S) ADVANCED BOARD OF NURSING JoAnne Bell-Graves - Juneau - CONFIRMATION(S) ADVANCED BOARD OF EXAMINERS IN OPTOMETRY Dr. Dennis A. Swarner - Kenai - CONFIRMATION(S) ADVANCED STATE PHYSICAL THERAPY AND OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY BOARD Julius S. Brecht - Anchorage - CONFIRMATION(S) ADVANCED BOARD OF CERTIFIED REAL ESTATE APPRAISERS Steve MacSwain - Anchorage Richard (Butch) D. Olmstead - Ketchikan - CONFIRMATION(S) ADVANCED REAL ESTATE COMMISSION Timothy J. Worthen - Anchorage - CONFIRMATION(S) ADVANCED WORKERS' COMPENSATION APPEALS COMMISSION John Giuchici - Fairbanks Kristin S. Knudsen - Anchorage Jim E. Robison - Eagle River Marc D. Stemp - Bethel Philip E. Ulmer - Eagle River - CONFIRMATION(S) ADVANCED ALASKA WORKERS' COMPENSATION BOARD Raymond (Scott) S. Bridges - Eagle River Stephen T. Hagedorn - Anchorage Linda F. Hutchings - Soldotna David (Dave) B. Robinson - Wasilla - CONFIRMATION(S) ADVANCED COMMISSIONER - DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, COMMUNITY & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT William Noll - Juneau - SCHEDULED BUT NOT HEARD PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION No previous action to record WITNESS REGISTER SHIRLEY GIFFORD, Appointee to the Alcoholic Beverage Control Board ("ABC Board") Soldotna, Alaska POSITION STATEMENT: Spoke as an appointee to the Alcoholic Beverage Control Board. ACTION NARRATIVE CHAIR TOM ANDERSON called the House Labor and Commerce Standing Committee meeting to order at 3:30:10 PM. Representatives Anderson, Kott, Lynn, Rokeberg, Crawford, and Guttenberg were present at the call to order. Representative LeDoux arrived as the meeting was in progress. 3:30:27 PM CHAIR ANDERSON announced that the only order of business would be the confirmation hearing of the various boards and commissions. 3:30:46 PM REPRESENTATIVE GUTTENBERG, in regard to the Alaska State Board of Public Accountancy, pointed out that although the committee did not receive a resume for Elaine R. Williamson, he had received it. 3:31:31 PM CHAIR ANDERSON informed the committee that the confirmation hearing for Mr. William Noll, Commissioner, Department of Commerce, Community, & Economic Development would be held until the following Wednesday. ^CONFIRMATION HEARING(S) 3:31:55 PM ^Alcoholic Beverage Control Board 3:32:23 PM SHIRLEY GIFFORD, Appointee to the Alcoholic Beverage Control Board (ABC Board), informed the committee that she retired two years ago following a 28-year career in law enforcement. She related that she served 20 years with the Anchorage Police Department (APD) and retired [from it] as captain of the Detective Division. She noted that she also served as interim chief in Nome, Alaska. Following her work with the APD, she was the Chief of Police in Soldotna for six years. She went on to say that her husband is a fishing guide in the summer in addition to owning and operating Gifford Consulting and Training. Ms. Gifford related that during her time with the APD, she served as captain of the Technical Services Division. During this time, she met with bar owners and liquor establishments to ensure compliance with state statute and to ensure that the community stayed safe. She conveyed her belief in her ability to be fair and objective as a member of the ABC Board. 3:34:22 PM REPRESENTATIVE GUTTENBERG expressed appreciation for Ms. Gifford's service on the ABC Board and asked if there are any policies that she feels need adjustment. MS. GIFFORD replied that during a meeting she recently attended, the ABC Board considered the definition of "restaurant" and attempted to ascertain whether this definition is clear enough in regard to restaurant licensee's serving alcohol. 3:35:45 PM REPRESENTATIVE ROKEBERG thanked Ms. Gifford for her willingness to serve on the ABC Board and remarked that she has a long record of public service. He asked how long she lived in the Sand Lake area. MS. GIFFORD said that she owned a house in Sand Lake for 19 years. 3:36:45 PM REPRESENTATIVE ROKEBERG asked for Ms. Gifford's opinion regarding ABC Board investigators carrying firearms. MS. GIFFORD said that although she does not have an opinion at this point, she would suggest reviewing the training policies. She commented that a lot of issues need to be considered prior to this happening. REPRESENTATIVE ROKEBERG, noted Ms. Gifford's law enforcement background and asked for her opinion in regard to whether or not there should be a statutory requirement for "bouncers" in larger [licensed] establishments. MS. GIFFORD recalled that most bar owners were eager and responsible and did so with her suggestion, but commented that if the relationship between bar owners and the those charged with public safety was no longer working, it may become necessary to establish a statutory requirement to that effect. REPRESENTATIVE ROKEBERG asked if she had any experience with the "tipsy taxi" legislation, which allows taxi drivers and [liquor] establishments to partner so that inebriated individuals and their cars can be driven home by a taxi driver, who would have limited liability. CHAIR ANDERSON explained that the aforementioned legislation was put forth by the Cabaret Hotel Restaurant & Retailers Association (CHARR). REPRESENTATIVE ROKEBERG expressed concern that the program is under pressure because the Department of Transportation & Public Facilities cut its funding. CHAIR ANDERSON agreed with that assessment. MS. GIFFORD commented that the aforementioned is a good preventative measure. 3:41:27 PM REPRESENTATIVE ROKEBERG opined that the regulatory boards can have an impact on fiscal policies if they "get behind it." CHAIR ANDERSON agreed, and then turned the committee's attention to the remaining boards and commissions before it. ^Alaska State Board of Public Accountancy CHAIR ANDERSON made a motion to advance the confirmations of Johnny Floyd, Daniel J. Rozema, and Elaine R. Williamson, appointees to the Alaska State Board of Public Accountancy, to the joint session for consideration. There being no objection, the confirmations were advanced. 3:42:08 PM ^Alcoholic Beverage Control Board CHAIR ANDERSON made a motion to advance the confirmation of Shirley Gifford, appointee to the Alcoholic Beverage Control Board, to the joint session for consideration. There being no objection, the confirmation advanced. 3:42:18 PM ^State Board of Registration for Architects, Engineers, and Land Surveyors CHAIR ANDERSON made a motion to advance the confirmations of Terry Gorlick, Burdett B. Lent, and Daniel E. Walsh, appointees to the State Board of Registration for Architects, Engineers, and Land Surveyors, to the joint session for consideration. There being no objection, the confirmations were advanced. 3:43:14 PM ^Board of Chiropractic Examiners CHAIR ANDERSON made a motion to advance the confirmations of Dr. Gregory M. Culbert and Dr. Rosemary E. Zimmerman, appointees to the Board of Chiropractic Examiners, to the joint floor session for consideration. There being no objection, the confirmations were advanced. 3:43:33 PM ^Alaska Labor Relations Agency CHAIR ANDERSON made a motion to advance the confirmation of Matthew R. McSorley, appointee to the Alaska Labor Relations Agency, to the joint session for consideration. There being no objection, the confirmation was advanced. 3:43:39 PM ^Board of Marital and Family Therapy CHAIR ANDERSON made a motion to advance the confirmations of Vivian C. Finlay, Curtis C. Schlosser, Dorothy (Dottie) Vanmeter Stanton, and Patricia A. White appointees to the Board of Marital and Family Therapy, to the joint session for consideration. There being no objection, the confirmations were advanced. 3:43:52 PM ^Board of Certified Direct-Entry Midwives CHAIR ANDERSON made a motion to advance the confirmations of Barbara Norton and Holly M. Steiner, appointees to the Board of Certified Direct-Entry Midwives, to the joint session for consideration. There being no objection, the confirmations were advanced. 3:44:07 PM ^Board of Nursing CHAIR ANDERSON made a motion to advance the confirmation of JoAnne Bell-Graves, appointee to the Board of Nursing, to the joint session for consideration. There being no objection, the confirmation was advanced. 3:44:16 PM ^Board of Examiners in Optometry CHAIR ANDERSON made a motion to advance the confirmation of Dr. Dennis A. Swarner, appointee to the Board of Examiners in Optometry, to the joint session for consideration. There being no objection, the confirmation was advanced. 3:44:25 PM ^State Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy Board CHAIR ANDERSON made a motion to advance the confirmation of Julius S. Brecht, appointee to the State Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy Board. There being no objection, the confirmation was advanced. 3:44:33 PM ^Board of Certified Real Estate Appraisers CHAIR ANDERSON made a motion to advance the confirmations of Steve MacSwain and Richard (Butch) D. Olmstead, appointees to the Board of Certified Real Estate Appraisers, to the joint session for consideration. There being no objection, the confirmations were advanced. 3:44:40 PM ^Real Estate Commission CHAIR ANDERSON made a motion to advance the confirmation of Timothy J. Worthen, appointee to the Real Estate Commission, to the joint session for consideration. There being no objection, the confirmation was advanced. 3:44:51 PM ^Workers' Compensation Appeals Commission CHAIR ANDERSON made a motion to advance the confirmations of John Giuchici, Kristin S. Knudsen, Jim E. Robison, Marc D. Stemp, and Philip E. Ulmer, appointees to the Workers' Compensation Appeals Commission, to the joint session for consideration. 3:44:57 PM REPRESENTATIVE KOTT indicated that he would have appreciated hearing testimony from this group, particularly in light of upcoming changes to workers compensation. He added that he would have been particularly interested in hearing whether the appointees feel that exempting real estate agents from workers' compensation is a good idea. 3:46:52 PM REPRESENTATIVE GUTTENBERG expressed concern with appointing members to a board that is currently transitioning to a new system, and commented that there are no clear guidelines on how the board will work under the new system. 3:48:10 PM CHAIR ANDERSON noted that the members would still have time to review the appointees' background information before the joint session. [There being no objection, the aforementioned appointees to the Workers' Compensation Appeals Commission were treated as advanced.] ^Alaska Workers' Compensation Board CHAIR ANDERSON made a motion to advance the confirmations of Raymond (Scott) S. Bridges, Stephen T. Hagedorn, Linda F. Hutchings, and David (Dave) B. Robison, appointees to the Alaska Workers' Compensation Board, to the joint session for consideration. There being no objection, the confirmations were advanced. 3:49:34 PM ADJOURNMENT  There being no further business before the committee, the House Labor and Commerce Standing Committee meeting was adjourned at 3:49:38 PM.