BRIEF DESCRIPTION: The Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development proposes to adopt new regulations for audiologists, speech-language pathologists, and speech-language pathology assistants, for telemedicine services, to implement changes to AS 08.11 enacted under Chapter 25, SLA 2016 (SB 74).

The Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development (Department) proposes to adopt regulation changes in Title 12, Chapter 07 of the Alaska Administrative Code, dealing with telemedicine services for audiologists, speech-language pathologists, and speech-language pathologist assistants, including the following:

12 AAC 07.020. Telemedicine. This proposed new section outlines the requirements for telemedicine services by a licensed audiologist, speech-language pathologist, and speech-language pathologist assistant.

12 AAC 07.030. Consent to send records. This proposed new section describes the requirements for documenting consent to provide patient records to a patient’s primary care provider.

12 AAC 07.040. Definitions. This proposed new section defines terms used in the telemedicine regulations.

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 Sher Zinn, Regulations Specialist, Division of Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing, P.O. Box 110806, Juneau, AK 99811-0806. Additionally, the Department will accept comments by facsimile at (907) 465-2974 and by electronic mail at RegulationsAndPublicComment@alaska.gov. Comments may also be submitted through the Alaska Online Public Notice System by accessing this notice on the system at http://notice.alaska.gov/193971 and using the comment link. The comments must be received not later than 4:30 p.m. on May 31, 2019. Comments received after this deadline will not be considered by the Department.

You may submit written questions relevant to the proposed action to Sher Zinn, Regulations Specialist, Division of Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing, P.O. Box 110806, Juneau, AK 99811-0806 or by e-mail at RegulationsAndPublicComment@alaska.gov. The questions must be received at least 10 days before the end of the public comment period. The Department will aggregate its response to substantially similar questions and make the questions and responses available on the Department’s website at https://www.commerce.alaska.gov/web/cbpl/ProfessionalLicensing/AudiologistsandSpeech-LanguagePathologists.aspx, or on the Alaska Online Public Notice System. The Department 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 Sher Zinn at (907) 465-1049 or RegulationsAndPublicComment@alaska.gov not later than May 24, 2019, to ensure that any necessary accommodations can be provided.

A copy of the proposed regulation changes is available on the Alaska Online Public Notice System and by contacting Sher Zinn at (907) 465-1049 or RegulationsAndPublicComment@alaska.gov,  or go to  https://www.commerce.alaska.gov/web/portals/5/pub/AUD-0419.pdf.

After the public comment period ends, the Department will either adopt the proposed regulation changes or other provisions dealing with the same subject, without further notice, or decide to take no action. The language of the final regulation may be different from that of the proposed regulation. 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 08.11.080, AS 08.11.083, AS 08.11.085

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

For each occupation regulated under the Division of Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing, the Division keeps a list of individuals or organizations who are interested in the regulations of that occupation. The Division automatically sends a Notice of Proposed Regulations to the parties on the appropriate list each time there is a proposed change in an occupation's regulations in Title 12 of the Alaska Administrative Code. If you would like your address added to or removed from such a list, send your request to the Division at the address above, giving your name, either your e-mail address or mailing address (as you prefer for receiving notices), and the occupational area in which you are interested.