The Alaska House postponed consideration of a foster care reform bill on Thursday morning but still found time for a little yoga.
House Bill 305, by Rep. Lynn Gattis, R-Wasilla, exempts the instructors of yoga, karate, Zumba and other recreational activities from certification by the Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education.
While state-run boards license manicurists, barbers, physicians and dozens of other careers, Gattis said it didn’t make sense for the commission ─ in charge of licensing educators ─ to force yoga teachers to be licensed like school teachers are.
“Careers like dental examiners, acupuncturists, barbers, and hairdressers will still require professional licenses and state regulation,” Gattis said in a statement. “This bill simply gets ACPE out of the business of regulating non-career oriented activities that are not already regulated by statute.”
The bill passed by a 38-0 vote (two members absent) and now goes to the Senate for consideration.
The House and Senate are each scheduled to hold sessions tomorrow morning. On the House’s agenda will be HB 27, which was originally scheduled for today’s session but postponed one day.
