Continuing education course approval:
Notice of Proposed Regulations Changes
Board of Professional Counselors

Brief Description:  The Board of Professional Counselors proposes to establish continuing education course approval requirements.

The Board of Professional Counselors (Board) proposes to adopt regulation changes in Title 12, Chapter 62 of the Alaska Administrative Code, dealing with continuing education course approval, including the following:

12 AAC 62.360, Application for continuing education course approval, is a proposed new section that establishes continuing education course approval requirements.

You may comment on the proposed regulation changes, including the potential costs to private persons of complying with the proposed changes, by submitting written comments to Jun Maiquis, Regulations Specialist, Division of Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing, P.O. Box 110806 Juneau, AK  99811-0806.  Additionally, the Board will accept comments by facsimile at (907) 465-2974 and by electronic mail at jun.maiquis@alaska.gov.  The comments must be received no later than 4:30 p.m. on August 10, 2015.

You may submit written questions relevant to the proposed action to Jun Maiquis, Regulations Specialist, Division of Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing, P.O. Box 110806 Juneau, AK  99811-0806 or by e-mail at jun.maiquis@alaska.gov.  The questions must be received at least 10 days before the end of the public comment period.  The Board will aggregate its response to substantially similar questions and make the questions and response available on the Board’s website at http://commerce.state.ak.us/dnn/cbpl/ProfessionalLicensing/ProfessionalCounselors.aspx or on the Alaska Online Public Notice System.  The Board may, but is not required to, answer written questions received after the 10-day cut-off date and before the end of the comment period.

If you are a person with a disability who needs a special accommodation in order to participate in this process, please contact Jun Maiquis at (907) 465-2537 no later than August 3, 2015 to ensure that any necessary accommodations can be provided.

For a copy of the proposed regulation changes, contact Jun Maiquis at the address or phone number above, or go to http://commerce.state.ak.us/dnn/portals/5/pub/PCO-0715.pdf

After the public comment period ends, the Board will either adopt these or other provisions dealing with the same subject, without further notice, or decide to take no action on them.  The language of the final regulations may be different from that of the proposed regulations.  You should comment during the time allowed if your interests could be affected.  Written comments and questions received are public records and are subject to public inspection. 

Statutory Authority:  AS 08.29.020
Statutes Being Implemented, Interpreted, or Made Specific:  AS 08.29.020

Fiscal Information: The proposed regulation changes are not expected to require an increased appropriation.

DATE: 7/9/15
Jun Maiquis, Regulations Specialist
Division of Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing

Continuing education course approval:
ADDITIONAL REGULATIONS NOTICE INFORMATION
(AS 44.62.190(d))

1.   Adopting agency:  Board of Professional Counselors – Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development, Division of Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing.

2.   General subject of regulation:  Application for continuing education course approval.

3. Citation of regulation: 12 AAC 62.360.

4.   Department of Law file number:  To be assigned.

5.   Reason for the proposed action:  Compliance with state statute.

6.   Appropriation/Allocation:  Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing – #2360.

7.   Estimated costs in the aggregate to comply with the proposed action to:
      a. Private Persons:  $100 – $200 per applicant.   
      b. Other State Agencies:  None known.
      c. Municipalities:  None known.

8.   Cost of implementation to the state agency and available funding (in thousands of dollars):  No costs are expected in FY 2016 or in subsequent years.

9.   The name of the contact person for the regulations:
      Jun Maiquis, Regulations Specialist
      Division of Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing
      Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development 
      Telephone: (907) 465-2537
      E-mail: jun.maiquis@alaska.gov  

10.   The origin of the proposed action:  Board of Professional Counselors.

11.   Date: 7/9/15
Prepared by: Jun Maiquis, Regulations Specialist