2011-01-18                     House Journal                      Page 0053
investment fund and the Alaska Performance Scholarship award fund.                                                              
This bill would create funding mechanisms for the Alaska                                                                        
Performance Scholarship that are in accordance with                                                                             
recommendations of the Alaska State Legislature's Joint Higher                                                                  
Education Scholarship Funding Task Force.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
The Alaska Performance Scholarship incentivizes Alaska students to                                                              
take a rigorous curriculum and earn scholarships for post-secondary                                                             
education. This will lead to increased academic performance in our                                                              
high schools, increased parental involvement, and increased                                                                     
graduation rates. More students will graduate prepared to enter and                                                             
complete postsecondary education and training in Alaska. The                                                                    
scholarship helps a variety of students - those who seek career and                                                             
technical training as well as academic studies - to realize their dreams                                                        
through their own hard work.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
The bill creates an Alaska Performance Scholarship investment fund.                                                             
The fund would consist of appropriations to the fund, donations to the                                                          
fund, and income earned on investments of fund assets. Also, the bill                                                           
would create the Alaska Performance Scholarship award fund to make                                                              
scholarship awards. The bill would authorize certain tax credits                                                                
applicable to contributions to the scholarship.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
The graduating class of 2011 will be the first students eligible for this                                                       
opportunity. I urge your prompt and favorable action on this important                                                          
measure.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Sincerely,                                                                                                                      
/s/                                                                                                                             
Sean Parnell                                                                                                                    
Governor"                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
HB 105                                                                                                                        
HOUSE BILL NO. 105 by the House Rules Committee by request of                                                                   
the Governor, entitled:                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
    "An Act relating to the Southeast State Forest; and providing for                                                           
    an effective date."