1995-02-10                     Senate Journal                      Page 0238
SB 83                                                                        
Dear President Pearce:                                                         
                                                                               
Under the authority of art. III, sec. 18, of the Alaska Constitution,          
I am transmitting a bill relating to the appointment and removal of            
the commissioner of education.                                                 
                                                                               
Existing law provides that the commissioner of education is the                
principal executive officer of the Department of Education.  Section           
1 of the bill amends AS14.07.145(a) to provide that the                        
commissioner serves at the pleasure of the governor, as do                     
commissioners of other state agencies.                                         
                                                                               
Section 2 of the bill repeals an existing provision that permits the           
appointment of the commissioner for a term of office not to exceed             
five years, and repeals language providing for removal of the                  
commissioner from office for cause.  Additionally, sec. 2 of the bill          
repeals the definition of "cause" regarding removal of the                     
commissioner.                                                                  
                                                                               
Section 3 of the bill provides for an immediate effective date, in             
order to ensure that the next commissioner of education is appointed           
under the new terms, after the bill is enacted into law.                       
                                                                               
Article III, section 25 of the Alaska Constitution provides that heads         
of each principal department should serve at the pleasure of the               
Governor.  The provision in current law permitting the use of long-            
term contracts in the hiring of the commissioner for the Department            
of Education thwarts the purpose of this section of the Constitution.          
I urge your prompt action on this important measure.                           
                                                                               
						Sincerely,                                                               
						/s/                                                                      
						Tony Knowles                                                             
						Governor                                                                 
                                                                               
                                                                               
SB 84                                                                        
SENATE BILL NO. 84 BY SENATORS HALFORD, Phillips, Sharp,                       
Green, Frank, Miller, entitled: