Suspending Rules 24(c), 35, 41(b), and 42(e), Uniform Rules of the Alaska State Legislature, concerning House Bill No. 173, relating to occupational therapist licensure; relating to occupational therapy assistant licensure; and relating to an occupational therapist licensure compact.

34th Legislature (2025-2026)

SCR 27 delays only procedural rules to speed consideration of HB 173 on occupational therapy licensure; it does not change the bill’s substance.

(S) LEGISLATIVE RESOLVE NO. 64

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Summary of Senate Concurrent Resolution 27 (SCR 27) – Alaska, 34th Legislature

Purpose and intent

SCR 27 seeks to suspend certain procedural rules of the Uniform Rules of the Alaska State Legislature to facilitate consideration of House Bill No. 173.

The underlying HB 173 concerns occupational therapy licensure matters, including licensure of occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants, and related to an occupational therapist licensure compact.

Key provisions and changes in SCR 27

The resolution specifically suspends:

Rule 24(c): Title changes to a bill
Rule 35: Prohibition on changing the bill’s title or similar formalities during consideration
Rule 41(b): Provisions related to engrossment and enrollment procedures
Rule 42(e): Limitations or requirements related to effective dates or other title-related motions

By suspending these rules, the Legislature enables expedited or more flexible handling of HB 173’s heading, title, and related formal changes during the legislative process.

Who/what would be affected

The suspension affects the process by which HB 173 is considered, not the substantive content of HB 173 itself.

Stakeholders ultimately impacted by HB 173 (assuming passage) include:

Occupational therapists (OTs) in Alaska
Occupational therapy assistants (OTAs) in Alaska
Entities involved in licensure, renewal, and regulation of OT/OTA professionals
Potential participants in or beneficiaries of any occupational therapy licensure compact referenced in HB 173

Procedural and timeline aspects

SCR 27 is a procedural measure, enabling changes to title-related and formal bill-processing rules for HB 173.

The action is labeled as “suspending” specific rules under Rule 54 to facilitate consideration.

Current status indicated: Read the first time – held on secretary’s desk (as of the action history entry on 2026-05-13). This indicates HB 173 is slated for consideration pending the resolution.

Notes and potential implications

If HB 173 evolves through the Legislature with the suspensions granted, Alaska could implement or modify:

Licensure requirements for occupational therapists and OTAs
Provisions related to licensure compact participation (which may affect reciprocity, multi-state practice, and portability of licenses)

The actual substantive changes would be found in HB 173’s text and any accompanying analyses or fiscal notes, once the bill moves beyond title or clerical considerations.

If you’d like, I can also provide a plain-language explanation of HB 173’s anticipated licensure provisions (once HB 173 text is available) to complement this procedural summary.