ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE  SENATE LABOR AND COMMERCE STANDING COMMITTEE  March 30, 2017 1:34 p.m. MEMBERS PRESENT Senator Shelley Hughes, Vice Chair Senator Kevin Meyer Senator Berta Gardner MEMBERS ABSENT  Senator Mia Costello, Chair Senator Gary Stevens COMMITTEE CALENDAR  CONFIRMATION HEARINGS Board of Nursing Joseph Lefleur, education seat - Ketchikan - HEARD AND HELD Alaska Labor Relations Agency Elizabeth Pierce, management seat - Anchorage - HEARD AND HELD State Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy Board Dr. Rebecca Bingham, physician seat - Anchorage - HEARD AND HELD Board of Examiners in Optometry - SCHEDULED BUT NOT HEARD SENATE BILL NO. 94 "An Act relating to trusts and powers of appointment; and providing for an effective date." - BILL HEARING CANCELED PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION  No previous action to record WITNESS REGISTER JOE LEFLEUR, Appointee Board of Nursing, education seat Ketchikan, Alaska POSITION STATEMENT: Testified as appointee to the Board of Nursing. ELIZABETH PIERCE, Appointee Alaska Labor Relations Agency, management seat Anchorage, Alaska POSITION STATEMENT: Testified as appointee to the Alaska Labor Relations Agency. DR. REBECCA BINGHAM, Appointee State Physical and Occupational Therapy Board, physician seat Anchorage, Alaska POSITION STATEMENT: Testified as appointee to the State Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy Board. ACTION NARRATIVE 1:34:15 PM VICE CHAIR SHELLY HUGHES called the Senate Labor and Commerce Standing Committee meeting to order at 1:34 p.m. Present at the call to order were Senators Gardner, Meyer, and Vice Chair Hughes. ^Confirmation Hearings CONFIRMATION HEARINGS  Board of Nursing Alaska Labor Relations Agency State Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy Board 1:34:52 PM VICE CHAIR HUGHES announced the business before the committee is confirmation hearings for governor appointees to boards and commissions. She explained that the process will be to bring the individuals forward to introduce themselves, take member questions, take public testimony, and hold the nominations for action at a later date. She asked Joseph Lefleur to tell the committee about his interest in serving on the Board of Nursing in the [education] seat. 1:36:05 PM JOE LEFLEUR, Appointee, Board of Nursing, Ketchikan, Alaska, clarified that he was nominated to the education seat. He stated that he has 20 years of experience in critical care and administration. He moved to Alaska about two years ago and is currently licensed in three other states. He looks forward to this service. She thanked Mr. Lefleur for his time and service. VICE CHAIR HUGHES asked Elizabeth Pierce to tell the committee about her interest in serving on the Alaska Labor Relations Agency in the management seat. 1:37:16 PM ELIZABETH PIERCE, Appointee, Alaska Labor Relations Agency, Anchorage, Alaska, stated that she is the CEO of Quintillion, a private telecom company in Alaska. She has lived in Western Alaska for about 20 years and has a background in labor relations. She wanted to contribute to state government in a meaningful way and felt her background would be beneficial to this board. VICE CHAIR HUGHES thanked Ms. Pierce for being willing to serve. VICE CHAIR HUGHES asked Dr. Rebecca Bingham to tell the committee about her interest in serving on the State Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy Board in the physician seat. 1:39:10 PM DR. REBECCA BINGHAM, Appointee, State Physical and Occupational Therapy Board, Anchorage, Alaska, said she practices family medicine. She came to Alaska to be the associate director for the Providence Family Medicine Residency and after that she was the clinical director for the Department of Correction for 13 years. She retired last year and looks forward to serving in this important position. VICE CHAIR HUGHES asked if she is aware of any pressing matters that will come before the board. DR. BINGHAM said no; she is fairly new to the board and what she has done so far relates to credentialing. SENATOR GARDNER asked how she happened to go to medical school in Africa. DR. BINGHAM replied she was married to a missionary and immigrated to Rhodesia with him. That country has a British medical school and she was fortunate enough to be accepted and get a very good education. She was in the country during the war years and through independence. Once President Mugabe came into office, she returned to the states to get licensed and board certified. She intended to return to Africa but life intervened and she remained in the US. VICE CHAIR HUGHES thanked Dr. Bingham and wished her luck in her nomination. 1:43:00 PM VICE CHAIR HUGHES opened public testimony on Joseph Lefleur, Board of Nursing; Elizabeth Pierce, Alaska Labor Relations Board; and Dr. Rebecca Bingham, State Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy Board. She found none and closed public testimony. She thanked the appointees for their time and willingness to serve and reiterated that the nominations would be held for future action. 1:43:44 PM There being no further business to come before the committee, Vice Chair Hughes adjourned the Senate Labor and Commerce Standing Committee meeting at 1:43 p.m.