Today marks the 102nd day of the session. The House has passed its four-pillared responsible action plan to the Senate for consideration. As the House hears additional legislation, the budget remains our top priority and we’re committed to working together with the Senate.
Juneau – For over 40 years, optometrists and ophthalmologists have been sparring over statutes that govern eye health care for Alaskans. Today, the Alaska House of Representative passed legislation that updates antiquated statutes regulating licenses of optometry and the Board of Examiners of Optometry. HB 103, sponsored by Representative Ivy Spohnholz (D-Anchorage), seeks to improve and update the statutes that govern the board by allowing them to regulate their standards of practice similar to other boards with prescriptive authority (e.g. dentists, nurses, and doctors). The bill also allows the Board of Examiners of Optometry to set the continuing education requirements for a licensee to continue to practice.
Hello from Juneau, where the legislative session marches on to Day 103. This is just a quick note about a couple of public testimony opportunities tomorrow, Saturday, April 29.
Juneau – Today, the Alaska House of Representatives passed House Bill 1, sponsored by Representative Chris Tuck (D-Anchorage), to make it easier for Alaskans to register to vote and participate in elections. Nearly half of Alaskans eligible to vote in 2014 failed to do so, and this legislation seeks to improve and clarify the voting process in an effort to increase the number of Alaskans having their voices heard in our elections.
On Tuesday evening the Senate Labor & Commerce Committee took public testimony on HB 115—the Education Funding Act—and afterward much was made of the fact that a majority of the more than 100 people who called in were in favor of this tax for schools. The testimony went on until after 10:00 p.m., and many people waited hours to put their views on the record.
