00SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 26                                                                                        
01 Proposing amendments to the Constitution of the State of Alaska relating to                                             
02 education.                                                                                                              
03 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:                                                              
04    * Section 1.  Article VII, sec. 1, Constitution of the State of Alaska, is amended to read:                        
05  Section 1.  Public Education.  The legislature shall by general law establish                                       
06 and maintain a system of public schools open to all children of the State, and may                                      
07 provide for other public educational institutions.  Schools and institutions so                                         
08 established shall be free from sectarian control.  [NO MONEY SHALL BE PAID                                              
09 FROM PUBLIC FUNDS FOR THE DIRECT BENEFIT OF ANY RELIGIOUS OR                                                            
10 OTHER PRIVATE EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION.]                                                                                 
11    * Sec. 2.  Article IX, sec. 6, Constitution of the State of Alaska, is amended to read:                            
12  Section 6.  Public Purpose.  No tax shall be levied, or appropriation of public                                     
13 money made, or public property transferred, nor shall the public credit be used, except                                 
14 for a public purpose ; however, nothing in this section shall prevent payment from                                     

01 public funds for the direct educational benefit of students as provided by law .                                       
02    * Sec. 3.  Article IX, Constitution of the State of Alaska, is amended by adding a new                             
03 section to read:                                                                                                        
04  Section 18.  Education Fund.  (a)  The legislature may create an education                                          
05 fund as a separate fund in the state treasury.  The principal of the fund consists of land                              
06 or money appropriated by the legislature.  Money in the education fund shall be                                         
07 invested so as to yield competitive market rates to the fund.  Income of the fund shall                                 
08 be retained in the fund unless it is appropriated under (b) of this section.  Section 7                                 
09 of this article does not apply to deposits made to the fund or to income retained in the                                
10 fund.                                                                                                                   
11  (b)  Money in the education fund may be appropriated only for public and                                              
12 private elementary and secondary education and for the University of Alaska.                                            
13    * Sec. 4.  The amendments proposed by this resolution shall be placed before the voters of                         
14 the state at the next general election in conformity with art. XIII, sec. 1, Constitution of the                        
15 State of Alaska, and the election laws of the state.