The commissioner of commerce, community, and economic development shall certify an applicant as a professional geologist if the applicant is certified as a professional geologist by the American Institute of Professional Geologists.

Repealed or Renumbered

Repealed or Renumbered

(a) A qualified agency may apply to the department and obtain a permit that authorizes the purchase, possession, and use by the agency of sodium pentobarbital, sodium pentobarbital with lidocaine, and other drugs authorized in regulations adopted by the department for the purpose of euthanizing injured, sick, or abandoned domestic animals in the lawful possession of the agency. To qualify to obtain the permit, the agency shall certify that it will

(1) comply with applicable federal laws related to the use of the drugs; and

(2) not permit an employee to administer the drugs unless the employee has successfully completed a euthanasia technician certification course approved by the National Animal Control Association, the American Humane Association, or the Humane Society of the United States.

(b) The department may revoke or suspend a permit or take another disciplinary action under AS 08.01.075 if it determines that the agency or an employee of the agency

(1) improperly used sodium pentobarbital, sodium pentobarbital with lidocaine, or another drug authorized for use under this section;

(2) failed to follow federal or state laws regarding proper storage and handling of the drugs;

(3) allowed an employee to administer the drugs before the employee successfully completed the certification course described in (a)(2) of this section; or

(4) violated this title or a regulation adopted under this title.

(c) In this section, 'agency' means an animal control agency of a municipality or recognized governmental entity or an entity that has contracted with a municipality or recognized governmental entity to perform animal control or animal euthanasia services.

(d) The department may adopt regulations to implement this section.

(a) Notwithstanding AS 08.29.200 , AS 08.63.200 , AS 08.86.200 , AS 08.95.900, another provision of this title, or a regulation adopted under this title, a licensee or an entity employing or contracting with a licensee may disclose confidential patient mental health information, communications, and records to the Department of Health and Social Services when disclosure is authorized under AS 47.30.540 , 47.30.590, 47.30.845, or AS 47.31.032 . Information, communications, and records received by the Department of Health and Social Services under this section are confidential medical records of patients and are not open to public inspection and copying under AS 40.25.110 - 40.25.120.

(b) In this section, 'licensee' has the meaning given in AS 08.01.110 .

An action may not be brought against a person for damages resulting from

(1) the person's good faith performance of a duty, function, or activity required as a

(A) member of, or witness before, a licensing board or peer review committee established to review a licensing matter;

(B) member of a committee appointed under AS 08.64.336 (c);

(C) contractor or agent of a contractor under AS 08.01.050 (d) or AS 08.64.101(5);

(2) a recommendation or action in accordance with the prescribed duties of a licensing board, peer review committee established to review a licensing matter, committee appointed under AS 08.64.336 (c), or contractor or agent of a contractor under AS 08.01.050 (d) or AS 08.64.101(5) when the person acts in the reasonable belief that the action or recommendation is warranted by facts known to the person, board, peer review committee, committee appointed under AS 08.64.336(c), or contractor or agent of the contractor under AS 08.01.050(d) or AS 08.64.101 (5) after reasonable efforts to ascertain the facts upon which the action or recommendation is made; or

(3) a report made in good faith to a public agency by the person, or participation by the person in an investigation by a public agency or a judicial or administrative proceeding relating to the report, if the report relates to the abuse of alcohol, other drugs, or other substances by a person licensed by a board listed in AS 08.01.050 (d).

(a) An acupuncturist licensed under AS 08.06, an audiologist or speech-language pathologist licensed under AS 08.11, a person licensed in the state as a chiropractor under AS 08.20, a professional counselor licensed under AS 08.29, a dentist under AS 08.36, a dietitian or nutritionist licensed under AS 08.38, a marital and family therapist licensed under AS 08.63, a medical practitioner or osteopath under AS 08.64, a direct-entry midwife certified under AS 08.65, a registered nurse under AS 08.68, an optometrist under AS 08.72, a licensed pharmacist under AS 08.80, a physical therapist or occupational therapist licensed under AS 08.84, a psychologist under AS 08.86, or a clinical social worker licensed under AS 08.95, shall use as professional identification appropriate letters or a title after that person's name that represents the person's specific field of practice. The letters or title shall appear on all signs, stationery, or other advertising in which the person offers or displays personal professional services to the public. In addition, a person engaged in the practice of medicine or osteopathy as defined in AS 08.64.380 , or a person engaged in any manner in the healing arts who diagnoses, treats, tests, or counsels other persons in relation to human health or disease and uses the letters 'M.D.' or the title 'doctor' or 'physician' or another title that tends to show that the person is willing or qualified to diagnose, treat, test, or counsel another person, shall clarify the letters or title by adding the appropriate specialist designation, if any, such as 'dermatologist', 'radiologist', 'audiologist', 'naturopath', or the like.

(b) A person subject to (a) of this section who fails to comply with the requirements of (a) of this section shall be given notice of noncompliance by that person's appropriate licensing board or, if the person is not regulated by a board, by the department. If, after a reasonable time, with opportunity for a hearing, the person's noncompliance continues, the board or department, as appropriate, may suspend or revoke the person's license or registration, or administer other disciplinary action which in its determination is appropriate.